Need
by wickedDiSaster
Summary: Hermione is attacked by her nemesis, but what should become a traumatic experience turns into the catalyst of a very complicated relationship. COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Story Notes: **This chapter's been edited to fit the authorized rating of this site, to view the full content visit Hawthorn & Vine or look for the following link taking the 11 spaces out before pasting:

http : / dramione. org / viewstory. php ? sid = 347

You'll need to register or sing-in on the sight to view it.

**Warning:** Dubious consent in this chapter. Don't read if you don't feel comfortable with the idea of rape.

**Disclaimer:** In its use of intellectual property and characters belonging to JK Rowling, Warner Bros, Bloomsbury Publishing, et cetera, this work of fiction is intended to be transformative commentary on the original. No profit is being made from this work.

**Beta Readers:** Kath, Casey, Lorca & Sam, aka "Withdrawned" Thank you very much you guys!

**Category: **Angst, Romance & Fun, Obviously Dramione.

**Summary:**

Hermione is attacked by her nemesis, but what should become a traumatic experience turns into the catalyst of a very complicated relationship...

"You just don't realise yet do you Granger?" and he pressed up his body to hers, realization suddenly dawned on her, eyes wide open, an expression of shock and horror on her face"... "As he felt her melt under his touch, he thought he'd never get tired of her..."

**Author's Notes:**

Be warned, some of you might find the content too violent, with too much smut or otherwise, but it's all part of the plot I came up with. If you have any suggestions on my writing or think that I should keep going, share your thoughts with me on a review please.

Also; (and you can ignore me or heed my pleas here) if you find an annoying typo, error or any mistake at all, please point out their location so I can edit them later. Hope I'm not asking too much, you can just ignore me after all.

*Sends lot's of love!*.

Everything under "" should be part of a dialog and everything in italics should be a thought.

Now I dare you guys to find the nine words inspired on the Mockingbird song of Eminem on this chapter, I just couldn't help my self... :P

**Chapter 1: Prologue - **_**The Task**_ by WickedDiSaster

"What the heck do you want, Malfoy? Following me around like that won't get you anywhere, you prat!" Hermione yelled, after making a swift turn into an alley to prove her point. "Think I haven't noticed, do you? P-L-E-A-S-E! How thick do you think I am?"

The silence that met her was eerie but only infuriated her more...

"Going to invent some excuse now, Ferret? Tell me then; what were you looking for in an empty alley like this, huh?" She raised an eyebrow as she turned to face him. "There's nothing here! NO ONE! Not even a store around! You are obviously following me!"

"So tell me, are you going to stay quiet all day? … Did Daddy send you? Told you to investigate us, did he? … Is that why you've been throwing glances our way, Malfoy? Ron's going to break your neck if he catches you staring again! …" She waited for Malfoy to respond. "What happened, Malfoy? Cat got your tongue?" She taunted him.

"ARE YOU GOING TO SAY ANYTHING?" she yelled, exasperated at his lack of response.

"God, Malfoy, you are pathetic! YOU ARE JUST-"

It happened so fast, she didn't quite know how he did it… He suddenly had her pinned to the wall, wrists gripped over her head, sneering at her with his face two inches away from hers.

"Think you know me so well, do you, Granger?" he said in a deadly whisper. "Think you know everything, don't you? _Silencio_," he whispered. "Who do you think tricked who, Granger?" _When did he get his wand? What the heck was he playing at? Pompous git!_, she wanted to yell at him, if he thought he could get away with this! She was going to curse him to hell and back when she got her wand.

He was breathing down her neck now…

"You were right in a way, Granger, my father did send me after you, just not to gather information." – _Was that a chuckle?_ – "Honestly, Granger, I believe even _I_ am better informed than you _and_ your dream team put together." He was definitely chuckling and right down her collarbone! _What the heck is he playing at?_ He kept whispering down her throat and she wanted to scream at him to get the fuck away … _Stupid bastard!_

"You see, Granger, my task wasn't to collect information about you... it was to _break_ you!" He was grinning, and something about his grin made her stomach lurch. She felt sick…

"You just don't realise it yet, do you?" He pressed his body up against hers, hips pushed forward to give her a hint. Realization suddenly dawned on her; her eyes wide open with an expression of shock and horror on her face. All too quickly, it wasn't funny anymore. It wasn't just anger and frustration; dread spread through her body like cold water.

_He wouldn't do that, he couldn't; he wasn't that evil, was he? All right, Malfoy, you got what you wanted now, wanted to scare the crap out of me? Done, now let me go. Please, _please_ let me go_...

She was squirming out of his clutches, desperate to get away and it only made him press himself harder against her.

"Quit it now, you don't need to make it easier for me. As it is, Mudblood, I'm already quite hard." He put a charm on her wrists and stuck them to the wall above her head. He started groping her with both of his hands.

_No, no, no, NO! This couldn't be happening, please god NO! Not this, not like this, god let it be a nightmare. Someone please help me …. How could I've been so stupid?_ Tears started to appear in her eyes. _Oh please don't do this…_ She tried to convey her pleas through her face but he just lowered his head and nibbled her neck, hands groping at her breasts, moving down to her thighs.

_GOD, no please DON'T! Let me be somewhere else, let me wake up, just a nightmare, just wake up, Hermione, this isn't happening to you, WAKE UP! WAKE UP, WAKE UP! NOOO!_ She was sobbing now. _Not like this, MERLIN PLEASE!_ Suddenly it seemed worthless the way she'd been saving herself for someone special; it seemed hilarious, really.

He was pushing up her skirt and pulling apart her blouse, pressing himself against her thigh. She tried to kick him away but he had her legs trapped. He pressed his knee between them to pull them apart, keeping his rhythmic movement against her skin, he whispered in her ear in a husky voice, "Fuck! Mudblood, this won't be so hard after all," and he nibbled her ear.

It felt so intrusive; she was so ashamed. She wanted to cry out. But of course, the spell wouldn't even let her do that. God, she hated him.

"Fuck, Granger! You're so dry; I can't have that, can I?" He muttered a spell and brushed the tip of his wand against his fingers, a translucent liquid soaking them one by one before he lowered them to her centre, pushing away her underwear. He touched her there, soaking her skin and rubbing it in circles, coating with what felt like a cold gel he was using to entice her. "That's better," he breathed between his teeth, and bit her neck making her take a sudden intake of breath.

"So fucking tight... Fuck! You're a virgin, aren't you, Mudblood?" He whispered next to her ear and kissed her then, hard and demanding, pushing his tongue through her lips, forcing her to part them.

She felt the liquid inside her tingling with magic. She didn't know what he was doing, but the liquid seemed to spread a sudden warmth in her womb, a sudden feeling of excitement filled her nerves, coming through the base of her head through her spine and exploding in her lower abdomen; like electricity flowing through her nerves, making her toes curl. She felt herself sigh and he seemed to feel it too, for he made his kisses all the more rough, all the more passionate.

Maybe that's what the liquid was suppose to do, make her more willing, make his work easier, make her body betray her. It was probably a spell. It didn't matter, she wanted it to stop, she wanted for some miracle to happen; someone had to pass by, someone had to save her from this. She was feeling like she was being dragged to hell and this only made the way to the gate seem closer, made her dread it even more.

Her skirt was all the way up; her knickers had been ripped apart. Sometime, maybe while he was kissing her, he had done it, and the fact that she couldn't tell when, scared her shitless because she couldn't help squirming under his ministrations. She was sure she was moaning now, even if she was under the spell, she couldn't deny it, her treacherous body was making her weak in the knees and she was no longer sobbing.

_GOD! What is happening to me, I can't let this happen! What is wrong with me! Why am I letting him do this?_

He seemed to feel her reaction and smirked between his kisses. The heat in her womb seemed to increase in delight and she felt all the pent up energy flow through her again. She felt herself coming closer and closer, like all that energy was accumulating in her and she couldn't hold it any longer. He was whispering something but she couldn't hear it.

All it took was a caress of her breast and a slow stroke along her centre to send her over the edge and break her apart. She gave a long moan that was suffocated by his mouth. She realized he'd taken off the spell to hear her.

And now he was kissing her hard and holding her head in place. He lifted her legs and locked them around him. She was barely aware of what he was doing until she felt _him_ down there.

"I think you've had enough foreplay, Mudblood. I must admit I got a bit carried away there, but don't think I've forgotten what I came for…"

She gave a heart wrenching sob of "No!" as she felt him enter her… the fire inside her seemed to explode in joy while she wallowed in misery, she heard him grunt and mutter under his breath what seemed to be lots of profanities. He had his head in her shoulder as if supporting himself there. He wasn't moving, just taking deep breaths, letting her brood over what she had just lost. What he had just taken.

He started moving after a few seconds, attacking her neck again with furious abandon. Along the way, he had freed her hands as well, and she found herself clutching at him despite her better judgment.

He was heaving against her, now kissing not only her neck, but her cheeks and eyes, nose and forehead. He grasped her curls and pulled her head back, exposing more of her flesh while thrusting against her; ravishing her into oblivion.

She was not just whimpering, and moaning and grinding at him; she was being loud and on the verge of screaming. She couldn't understand how it was possible that no one could hear them; that no one had yet come to her help. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that he must have casted an Imperturbable Spell around them.

She was filled with despair at the thought, no one would come and no one would put an end to what has happening with her, not that anyone would… They'd probably mistake them for a young and horny couple making love. And as she had said, there weren't even stores nearby; no one, not even her friends would worry about her on a Hogsmeade weekend, when they had already parted ways and planned to meet so much later on, not for at least two more hours, and she didn't think she could bear it for that long.

She came twice before it all ended, and they both slipped down the wall after that, both panting and drenched in their sweat… He was smirking still, and she started to hug her cloak around her. She couldn't look him in the eyes, so she kept her stare to the ground while he dressed, pressing her knees to her chest and rubbing her arms, trying to cover every bit of her body with her cloak. Her clothes were still ripped and she thought, with a bitter laugh, that she couldn't even see traces of her underwear. She tried to focus on the buttons from her blouse, that were scattered all over the ground.

He knelt in front of her and forced her to look at him. "What happened, Granger? Cat got your tongue?" he asked with a smirk, mocking her earlier words, "Because you seemed to be pretty loud, just five minutes ago. Who would have thought little bookworm Granger was so fucking naughty?" He was leering at her and she still couldn't force herself to look him straight in the eye.

"What would Potter think?" That did it; the rage that swept through her made her glare at him and stare directly into his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare!" she said through greeted teeth.

"Wouldn't I?" A grin spread across his face. "Think about it, Granger. You were not under the Imperius Curse, or dosed up with potions, nor were you hurt in any way..." He smiled at her. "Not physically, at least…"

"They could even put me under Veritaserum! Merlin, I'd be willing to give them a Pensieve so they could see it, see how you were writhing and whimpering and moaning while you clutched at me for dear life."

"You put a spell on me!" she yelled, and his smirk grew larger.

"Did I? Is that what you were telling yourself, Mudblood?" That chuckle again… She wanted to strangle it away! "Would like to see you try that one… But if you really wanted to take it that far, Granger, you'd have to make it public as well, wouldn't you? And something tells me you don't really want that to happen; your little Weasel finding out and that Pothead you seem so fond of… How I'd enjoy watching their faces as I showed them how I rutted into you, up against the dirty wall of an empty alley. Don't doubt that I would, Mudblood," he sneered at her. "Part of me is even looking forward to it. If it weren't for my father, Granger, I'd even do it myself! Boy, I certainly didn't expect it to turn out this way," he said with glee.

She wanted to spit on his face.

"Now, now, don't give me that look, Granger. Stand up, little girl, stiffen up that upper lip, we need to fix your clothes now." He pulled her up and, intently or not, he used her wand to fix her blouse.

Later she would find out that he had been using the same wand – _her _wand – to utter all the spells…

He was leering at her while he pulled her blouse together, "Funny, don't you think? You're going to be wearing this same uniform everyday… reminding you of what you did with it on." He fixed the wrinkles of her skirt, covering every inch he ironed with the wand. "Only fair that I keep my own souvenir, don't you think?" She saw him pocket her missing underwear and bra as he continued to fix her hair and face. He licked her tears before he gave her one last bruising kiss and left her there in the empty alleyway…


	2. Chapter 2

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author's Notes:

This chapter was edited to the point where I can no longer re-read it and I don't want to send it back to Lorca for fear she ditches me. To those that have read the old version, I'd love to hear what you think. Hopefully nothing in it seems forced and maybe, just maybe, you enjoy it.

**Chapter 2: **_**Raw**_ by WickedDiSaster

Long after he left, Hermione wouldn't remember how much time she spent in that alley, how she got back to Hogwarts, or the strange looks she received on her way to her dorm.

She would remember, though, the stench of her clothes before she burned them, and the stench that remained on her body after that. It was only after several long showers that she finally understood that the scent wasn't on her body, but imprinted in her mind. When at last she turned the taps off, she let herself sink down into the still-filled bathtub.

The self-awareness that the loss of her innocence had given her made her certain that she would never be the same again. But the worst of it, what kept her rooted to the bathtub, was not the fact that she had been defiled; it was the fact that she had not been spelled, as she had thought. All those incredibly tormenting, magnificent sensations she had felt were not caused by any charm, curse or indeed magic of any kind; it had been her, all along. It was that knowledge of having had the first orgasms of her life, during an act that had not only been against her will, but that had been meant to torment her. She couldn't understand what could possibly be so wrong with her that she had actually enjoyed it.

She couldn't understand what had happened to her; what was wrong with her! She had been the victim of an act of pure evil; her defilement not only a strategy to hurt one of her dearest friends, but also a strategy of a war meant to exterminate her kind. She had been used in the most terrible of ways, and she had enjoyed it. She had marvelled in her torture, thrilled to it; an act orchestrated to bring down not only herself, but those she held most dear. It had all been done to gain an advantage in this war, but with the added purpose of tormenting her, of _breaking_ her.

She went over it in her head again and again, the memories only making her feel worse. Not because of the sadness her loss brought, but for the shame over her obvious arousal, which she now recognised as such. Her innocence had been tarnished forever, but the memory of her body's reaction to the attack kept her transfixed, lost in an empty space.

She hadn't wanted to lose her virginity in such a despicable way. She hated knowing that what was taken from her would never come back, she would never be the same again. Every molecule in her body had changed and she couldn't help but feel dirty, feel badly about herself. Her logic fought such feelings and she longed for the lost sense of pride she now knew she had carried with herself. She fought to grasp it, to find it deep within herself; she _had_ NOT wanted it, God damn it! Yet, she had enjoyed it, a voice within her whispered, and any weak grasp of self-worth she could have felt fell away into nothingness.

How could she have taken part in such an act of pure hatred, against herself, against her kind? She'd been used and yet she all but gave herself to it.

For Merlin's sake, she had held on to him for dear life. She might even have actually left marks on him; marks of pure, raw and undiluted passion, rather than desperate actions to defend herself. She could still feel his hands travelling over her body, feel the fire he had ignited with them. How he had lost himself in her; she could still remember, with mind-numbing clarity, the way her orgasms had rocked her body. How many times had she come? If she thought of it that way, she had even enjoyed herself more than him, for he had only come once, right? NO! No, it couldn't be; each time such a thought crossed her mind, she rubbed her palms against her skin forcefully, for she could not have wanted it, she could not have enjoyed it...

Yet she had.

Why had he made her come at all? Had he done it on purpose? She had felt how he looked for those spots that would make her quiver, she'd felt how he delved into her moans and gasps; the way he'd kissed her, like she was water in the dessert and he wanted to take every drop from her. Why had he done that, had it been part of his scheme? Could someone plan such passion? But, no, it was all meant to hurt her; how could he have predicted such a sick and perverted reaction from her. No! She wasn't like that, she had not been like that; they had changed her!

Yes, it had all been meant to damage her. They'd taken her innocence and she would never get it back. They HAD hurt her.

Then why had he acted that way?

No, she would not think about that. She was having enough trouble handling the way she had felt; she would not start blaming herself now. What would happen then? Would she start forgiving what he had done? No, she would not think about his actions. Not yet. She was obviously not ready to think rationally now.

She remained in the water long after it grew cold, and she was still reluctant to get out when Parvati knocked on her door, informing Hermione that she needed to have a bath before classes started. It was then that she realized - she had spent all night there.

She pulled a towel around herself, but refused to use her wand to dry her hair. It reminded her of what she had done. Her wand, like her treacherous body, had betrayed her, even contributed to her attack.

No, she thought firmly; she refused to think it had been her fault. She wouldn't go down that path, not now; not yet.

She took the wand and hid it within her robes. As she left the bathroom, she told Parvati to ask their teachers to excuse her from classes because she wasn't feeling so well. She apparently didn't look well, because Parvati even offered to bring her something for breakfast as she lay in her bed, gazing at the bed curtains with an empty stare.

She never touched the food Parvati brought, or what Lavender brought later for lunch; she merely threw it down the toilet. She wouldn't even dare use her wand to vanish them…

When sleep finally came to her, she dreamt of him; of his touch, his voice, his kisses, which only made her scrub all the more roughly in the shower the next morning. She pressed her nails against her skin, trying to rid herself of his lingering touch. When she finally left the shower, Hermione looked at herself in the mirror for the first time. She had a vague faraway expression on her face and a haunted look behind her eyes. She looked down, noticing some marks on her body. A few hickeys on her neck, that had been hidden by her hair. Her breasts were marked where he had gripped them hard, making her moan in ecstasy; her waist, her derriere, her hips and the inside of her thighs; all of them reminding her of his touches.

She couldn't understand why she had liked it. A simple spell in that alley had confirmed what Malfoy said, the charms he'd used were not meant to entice her. It had all been _her_. She felt nauseated by the way her body had behaved.

She still refused to look at her wand and she put her clothes on; the skirt, the blouse, her tie and her cloak. Even if they weren't the same ones she'd been wearing, they resembled them, and she found herself looking at her reflection with nausea rising in her throat. She put a scarf around herself and made sure all the marks were covered before leaving.

She arrived early for breakfast, hoping to leave before Harry or Ron got there; she was going to bury herself in the library until her classes inevitably started. As luck had it, she was among the first few students in the Great Hall, and among the others she saw _him_; staring at her with leering eyes and that ever present smirk.

Draco had never seen the prim little Gryffindor with her hair wet like that, ever. And after what he'd done with that pristine body of hers, it seemed it did very little to discourage the hard-on he was currently trying to hide. He saw a small drop of moisture sliding across her temple, reminding him of how her perspiring body had looked against the wall; moaning, yelling and grinding against him. She looked dead sexy.

Apparently, the effects of his cold shower that morning were thrown down the drain the moment she came through the door. He'd been dreaming of her for the past two nights, after he sent word to his father about the success of his final task. The fact that he didn't see her in classes or in the Great Hall during meals had amused him even more. Until now.

Draco had never imagined he would take such pleasure in his task, far from it; for a very long time, he had doubted he would be able to go through with it. What the Mudblood had said was true. Since he had been assigned this new task, he had been thrown into turmoil. His jumbled thoughts had made him indecisive, pushing him into reckless, unavoidable stares directed at her. The fact that even the Weasel had noticed this served to prove just how difficult it had been for him.

Planning such an act of violence had brought up very troublesome memories from his past, and he had found himself many times trying to convince them of taking some other action against her; trying to disguise his fears of being unable to do it.

The day he was ordered to carry out the task, he found himself following her aimlessly. It had taken so long for him to make his move that she had not only noticed his blatant behaviour, she had in fact confronted him about it, and even then, he had found himself hesitant. It had actually taken lots of her encouragement to finally waken him from his bewilderment; if she hadn't incensed him so with her taunting words, he might never have worked up the stomach to do it.

She had infuriated him in such a way that she had made him lose all control over his actions, eradicating any anguish he might have felt for what he was about to do. He had been suddenly overwhelmed with an immense desire to shut her up, to put her in her place; to make her pay for every time she had made him look like a fool, just by being the insufferable know-it-all that she was. When he had finally crushed her with his body, he was pushed further by her scent in his nostrils. Her limbs were powerless against him, her movements to throw him off only encouraging him even more, enticing him past any doubt about his ability to complete the task. How had he loved enlightening the little Mudblood on just how he was going to make her pay.

It was at that point that it all started to go terribly wrong.

He had lost all control; he had gotten lost in the feel of her forbidden Mudblood body, and the sensation of power and rage he had felt at the beginning had been overwhelmed by the pure desire she had ignited in him. He had touched her far more than he should have, and each caress had driven him mad with wanting more. He'd been overcome with an unbelievable yearning for all the reactions that his ministrations were provoking in her despite herself. The knowledge of her arousal, and his need to get more of those reactions, bewildered him. He had wanted to make her come; it was like proving a point, like teaching her a lesson. Making her lose control at such level at the time had seemed like the best vengeance imaginable.

The fact that she was not supposed to enjoy herself had become a mute point then. His recollection of this important detail, crashing down around him at the moment his spent body had landed on the ground alongside hers, made him quickly disentangle from her, as if denying he had actually taken part in the deed. Then he was furious with her again, for making him lose himself in her treacherous ways, but it was too late; he had taken her against her will and had made every damnable effort to make her enjoy every second of it.

He'd gotten lost in her. Lost in a Mudblood; if his father ever found out... he wouldn't even dare think about it. For this reason, he did not mention any of that in his report on the attack. He tried to squash these thoughts into the deepest corner of his mind, his memories of just how much he had made her enjoy it, and how much he had enjoyed it himself, remaining with him, haunting his dreams, which only served to infuriate him more. He was furious with himself, with his task, which he knew had been a bad idea from the start; furious with the world and with _her_ most of all. She had made him mad enough to go through with it first, and then made him lose control and ruin everything anyway.

It was why he had thrived in the fact she had not been able to show her face in the last couple of days.

Until now, anyway.

Now, he was experiencing what he could only describe as rage. He couldn't believe the effect the Mudblood was having on him. It wasn't like he hadn't bedded other witches; Merlin, he'd been with better looking, and way more experienced women than Granger! Witches that had never earned a second thought from him after intercourse, much less occupied any of his dreams! Witches who had never made him wake up with a hard on the size of the poles on the Quidditch pitch!

And the dreams he was having; those were the worst part. He could barely even admit it to himself; he'd enjoyed it way more than he should have. _And she had been a virgin, for Merlin's sake!_

It was then, that Draco realized he wasn't the only one that noticed the sudden change in the Mudblood. Merlin, he would slit Nott's throat, if he didn't keep his stares on his plate. Fortunately, Nott seemed to notice his glare and lowered his gaze.

She was standing up from her table. _Had she even eaten anything? How much time could have passed? It couldn't have been more than a few minutes and she had barely touched her toast!_ But she was already through the doors and Draco decided to leave his table as well.

When he reached the door, he saw her turn into a corridor out of the corner of his eye. _The library_, he thought. _How obvious, my little Mudblood._

Hermione saw him behind her and decided to change her plans. She slipped through a secret passage in the hallway and found herself hiding in the Room of Requirement, surrounded by her favourite books and some calming tea infusions and slices of toast. Her stomach growled at the sight and she regretted not making this room her first stop from the start…

It wasn't until the next day that Draco saw her again; she was scurrying away after a class they had shared together. She was delusional if she thought he was going to let her get away again. He took a shortcut and found himself in a hallway ahead of her. He could feel her approaching and, as she turned the corner, he pulled her into the wall behind him and pressed his lips against hers. He felt her tense and try to push him away with a horrified shriek, which was silenced by his kiss. He took advantage of her surprise; taking hold of her hands and pushing his tongue through her lips. He was devouring her, feeling every part of her mouth; taking revenge against her and fighting with her tongue, which was still trying to push him out. She flailed at him, hands balled into fists, and he loved every second of her defiance, loved how she still fought against the growing desire he could feel building in her. He wanted to prove her wrong again, prove that she couldn't resist him. He wanted to prove that he wasn't the only one having problems with this. He wanted to make her pay for causing him to have all these feelings in the first place.

She didn't realise that struggling only seemed to encourage him more, she tried to push his tongue away and he took the opportunity to taste those luscious lips that had driven him over the edge a few days ago, those lips that had driven him mad with desire. It was all her fault, all her bloody fault. She was making him want her; making him lust for her; _the only one_ he couldn't have. It was her fault and he hated her for it.

Hermione was having trouble breathing and starting to find standing up alone a difficult task indeed. Not to mention how troubling it was that her thoughts, which had started to scream at her at the top of their lungs to not let it happen again, were somehow silenced by her treacherous body, that screamed just as loud with the fire of arousal.

Her mind fought for control, trying to repel his advances, while he fed on her struggles like ambrosia. Her body, remembering the mind-numbing pleasure his touches promised to deliver, was making her resolve waver like paper in water.

Her resolve to fight him off weakened at the sensations his body in contact with hers brought. As he pressed himself harder against her, trying to produce even more friction between them, she started to squirm, trying to escape the effect he had on her. Her struggles only ended up enticing him more, and heightened her own arousal as well.

She didn't know how to fight him off, every ploy she used to stop his advances only served to work against her. No longer knowing how to stop him, and thoroughly confused by her own reactions, she tried to force her deceitful body to stay still, but even as she fought against her need to move against him, she could feel herself giving in. It was all she could do not to increase the heat between them by pressing herself even further against him.

He could feel how her body started to melt under him. _Oh, how addicted he was getting to the way she felt_. He could feel her desire starting to overpower any hold or control she had over her body, which without a doubt longed for every touch, every lick and every breath that he provided. Just this certainty drove him crazy; soon only her arms remained faithful to her mind as he felt them fighting against his grip, and even they were slowly giving in.

He freed her wrists and his hands caressed their way down her body, brushing against her exuberant breasts, down to her waist; he felt her shudder. He slowly slid his hands under her cloak and felt his way up her front, trying to push away her stupid scarf, until he finally managed it.

The way she shivered under his attentions made him even more ravenous and he knew that she was no longer resisting. He could feel the way her hands, that were once pushing against him, slowly started gliding over him, only to suddenly stop and snatched away fast, as if he was on fire, and for Circe, he was...

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard footsteps walking towards them and pulled her to the closest cabinet in the hallway, locking the door behind them and pushing her against it. It seemed to be one of the places Snape stored his ingredients; some of the jars were giving off yellow and maroon coloured light, bathing them in their glow. He put a hand on top of her mouth as, still pinning her to the door, he started feeling up her body. Draco glanced down at her, and saw that her eyes were wide open. He continued his exploration of her body; removing the scarf completely, he saw the marks he had made the last time and a sudden feeling of possessiveness took hold of him. He smirked. He couldn't understand why she had kept them but _Fuck her!_, he thought; she seemed to be more sensitive there and that made it all the better for him. Once the footsteps faded away, he freed her mouth, finding a better use for his hand…

"Please... stop..." she pleaded with shallow gasps while he was nibbling down her neck and unbuttoning her blouse. _Oh God_, she thought; only her voice remained faithful to her, because the rest of her body could hardly support her. She had her hands on the wall and was gripping it hard, terrified not only of falling, but that if she let go of it, she might not be able to resist the urge to touch him too, and that would be the end of it. She didn't want to do it again but she could barely resist…

"Don't pretend you're not enjoying it, Mudblood. Don't think you fool me," he said as he pushed down her bra to reach her breasts with his mouth. She gasped as he slid his tongue over her exposed nipple.

Her skirt had ridden up and he could see another mark surrounding her thigh, increasing the feelings of euphoria the sight of her exposed neck had stirred in him. They made him feel rather possessive of her. He wanted to leap at her, lick them, kiss them, bite them, make them larger; mark her as his.

"Please..." she tried again, no longer aware of what she was begging for, but still trying to gather the courage and strength to pull away. He grunted and stopped, if only because he realised he was losing leverage again; breathing hard, he fell to his knees and lifted a hand to touch the marks on her thigh, just to brush them while he tried to calm down. Feeling as though he was in a trance, he whispered in a husky voice, "Why are you keeping them, Granger?" He brushed his lips against the coloured skin as he felt her shudder; she was losing control as well and maybe she wouldn't notice he had already lost it.

He parted her legs more and ever so slowly caressed her thigh with his hands. Reaching to the hem of her knickers, he traced his fingers around it as she kept trying to push him away with her hands.

"If you keep that up, I'm going to have to tie them up again, Granger," he growled right in front of her crotch; that undid her, even as part of her mind thought that her hands would be better tied, so she wouldn't have to fight against the desire to touch him too. The sensation on her crotch travelled through her body and her knees were about to buckle; maybe if they did, she would fall to him and could grab those lips of his and feel them and kiss them and... _NO!_ Her mind screamed, but it was fighting a losing battle.

He brought his hands around the hem of her knickers and reached behind her to unclasp her skirt, letting it fall to her feet. Looking up, he captured her eyes and started to kiss his marks again, kissing each and every one that he found, licking them one by one, turning from one leg to the other while his hands finished opening the buttons on her blouse and pushed it wide apart. His eyes never left hers. He was enjoying the play of emotions in them; the fact that she couldn't resist him was exhilarating. He dragged one of his hands up to caress the valley between her breasts, going down past her navel and along to her waist where he left them to keep her steady. He pushed his face between her inner thighs, inhaling her scent. She didn't smell of lotion and cream, like other witches. Her fragrance, he was learning, was uniquely hers. She smelled of fruits and essences he couldn't identify. It was just hers; her scent, and it drove him mad.

It wasn't until he slowly reached her centre that he started learning the fragrance of her arousal. He closed his eyes in rapture and continued following her scent and capturing the hem of her underwear between his teeth, lowering it with the help of his hands, caressing her with his nose on his way down. He stayed there, letting his hands finish the work while he admired her. She kept her self fairly trimmed, he had learned the first time. Typical Granger; probably did it for hygiene.

He looked up to her again, she seemed to be hypnotized; hypnotized and of course dripping wet. He couldn't wait to taste her.

"Unclasp your bra, Granger. I want to see you do it," he commanded in a hoarse voice.

Hermione didn't move; she had lost the battle and she could hardly understand how she was still standing. She had lost all control of her body by now. "Do it, Granger!" he growled and slowly, she complied.

Slowly, Hermione went to the front of her bra and found the clasp there and opened it, not once taking her eyes from him.

"Pull your bra away, Granger, I want to admire the view," he smirked.

She obliged and let her breasts spill out from the cups; her breaths shallow. He gave a long lick to her centre and she couldn't help the moan that escaped her. He had one hand on her hip now, touching her derriere and the other on her waist, keeping her in place, as he continued delving his tongue inside her with slow strokes. He felt her tremble and kept exploring, slowly travelling his tongue around her labia, learning the places that granted him a pleasant response. Her taste was intoxicating. He wanted more of it as he continued, trying to lick everything from her, causing her to emit the most delicious sounds imaginable. Her moans alone were driving him nuts with need and suddenly he became exasperated with their position. He transfigured her scarf into a soft rug before pulling her down onto it.

Once on top, however, he became distracted with her body. She was glorious; his eyes travelled from her pelvis to her breasts, just admiring her. As he went up her neck and found her red swollen lips, he found himself wanting to share her taste with her, needing to taste those lips again and see if maybe he could poison her as well with it; the way she had made him lose control and lose all hope of having it back. It was a method of revenge too, he thought, as he lowered himself to her. She moaned when his lips finally encountered hers. His hands travelled over her body and he couldn't seem to get enough of her. He kept pressing himself harder against her.

Unable to resist anymore, Hermione pulled her legs up to his waist, trapping him with her body, trying to meld it to his. She started clutching at Draco with both hands, pulling him close to her and kissing him just as hard. Somewhere inside Draco's mind, a voice told him that she wasn't immune to her own poison, while another screamed that she was taking control. He was bordering on insanity, of course.

Her pelvis was making the most exquisite movements against him, making him emit a guttural sound from deep inside his throat that seemed to be a growl of desperation; he switched their positions, suddenly anxious to see what she could do on top, not really thinking what this could mean later. Still kissing her, his hands travelled over the places where he now knew she was the most sensitive, feeling empowered with the awareness of being able to produce such reactions in her.

Hermione had long fallen into the depths of raw passion; as she gave up any resolve she might have thought she possessed, she surrendered to the sensations her body had become addicted to. At the same time, she gave into the fury that had taken hold of her as she acknowledged she had lost the battle; she had become a traitor because of him. He had poisoned her soul and tainted her body; he had changed her and dragged her down to the depths of hell, to which his kind belonged. She hated him for it.

She wanted to harm him. She wanted to taint him the way he had tainted her; wanted to cause him as much pain as he had caused her; wanted to make him pay for everything he had done to her and couldn't find a better way to do it than to delve into the raw passion he had set into motion inside her.

She started to pull on his clothes and became frustrated with his shirt. She pulled it apart with fury, not worrying where the buttons landed, as long as she could feel his skin under her hands. Her mouth was nibbling her way across his chest, her hands pulling on his pants, not caring what her nails did to his skin in the process. She started to bite her way down his body, taking all her frustrations out on him with raw passion.

Ironically enough, Draco couldn't seem to get enough of it; the view of her on top of him, clawing at him with such a need, almost drove him over the edge. The fact that she was the one in control now, the one making him mad with desire, wasn't lost on him, but as much as he knew it was wrong, he couldn't stop it. She'd become a drug crawling up his system and he was unable to deter it; the things she was doing to his body were just too delectable and all too good to give them up.

She'd won the war against his underwear and he felt one of her hands surround him. She was stroking him with force, her eyes filled with hatred; her thumb playing with the head of his shaft, spreading his warm pre-cum as if she wanted to teach him a lesson; making him louder and more desperate and still not daring to pull her to him. He wanted to kiss her, impale her and fuck her into oblivion, but he couldn't bring himself to stop the delicious things she was doing. Consciously or not, she pulled his shaft to her, caressing her pelvis and lower stomach with him, stroking him and teasing him to the point of madness, biting harder and harder on his neck and shoulder. She drew blood from his flesh and licked clean every new wound she made, enjoying how she tainted his _pureblood_ arse and wishing she could drain him completely, corrupting him the way he had corrupted her, punishing him while she enjoyed herself with him.

She pulled his shaft lower on her body and he could feel her labia against him as she tortured him, caressing herself with it through slow movements around her clit. He was barely aware of the pain around his chest that was keeping him grounded and not coming all over her. He tried to push his hips forward to her, tried to get inside her but she would have none of it and scratched him harder when he did that, drawing blood from every nail she carved into his skin. He got her meaning; he was not allowed to call the shots anymore.

She pulled away from him completely, her hands supporting herself on his chest; her legs surrounded him as his shaft still pressed against her crotch.

His eyes roamed over her body; he found himself hypnotized by her beauty. When he finally looked her in the eyes, the fury he found in them rocked him to the core. He realised then, that she was taking her revenge.

He realised as well that he wouldn't stop her. _He just couldn't._

She impaled herself on him then, making him growl with pleasure. Draco pressed his hands against her hips knowing that he'd leave marks, but he needed to touch her, needed to control himself; needed something, anything, that would give him some kind of leverage.

Hermione started to rock against him, slowly continuing with her punishment, finding the movements that would grant her more pleasure, as he learned from her slow torture as well. She lowered herself, changing the angle of her thrusts to get a taste of his lips. She took hold of his hair as she covered his mouth, tracing her tongue around his lips, before gaining entrance to his mouth, stroking his tongue just as slowly as she moved, before she bit him.

He started to pull his hands up her body, caressing her waist and hugging her close. She gave a moan of approval and, encouraged, he started to thrust his hips up to meet hers, trying to hit the places that she'd shown him she liked. She nibbled on his lips as he did, accelerating the speed of her thrusts until she came, milking him inside of her, as he finally let go as well.

She rested on top of him until she recovered her breath, letting herself be hugged as she did so, while a barely conscious Draco summoned his cloak to cover them both. When the euphoria of their orgasms gradually faded, the overwhelming feeling of what she had done dawned on her, filling her eyes with tears.

She started sobbing.

Draco pulled her away into a sitting position. Not quite understanding what was going on, he tried to calm her, even if he thought there was no reason for her to react this way, and no reason for him to even try to help her.

He just couldn't figure her out; it seemed to him she'd won the war. To him, what they had just done had proved it, she'd avenged herself by having her way with him. The Gryffindor hadn't even needed the help of her rotten friends to turn him into a whimpering sex toy. Then why was she crying? _What the hell...?_

Still, he found the sight of her tears heart-wrenching, so he pulled her face up to meet his. What he found in her eyes scared him; the pain in them shook him, and in that small fragment of time, he realised what had happened.

While something like this would have made him relish in victory; to the almighty Gryffindor Queen, it seemed to fill her with regret.

She thought she'd now become like him...

He reacted to the scene like the Slytherin he was; he became enraged with her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Chapter 3: **_**Understanding**_ by WickedDiSaster

He pulled her to her feet, still covered with his cloak and started to shake her in an attempt to savagely infuse some common sense into her suddenly fragile figure, trying to stop each of her maddening tears that were making a sobbing mess out of the almighty Gryffindor. It seemed far-fetched, how all these years, he'd been dying to achieve this outcome, and now that he had, all he wanted was the unstoppable goddess, that had been riding him just a few minutes ago, back into her senses. It was exactly this thought, this desire for the amazingly sexy and vindictive bitch, that prompted him to kiss her and see if he could wake her up again.

It didn't seem to do any good, although he thought the sobbing had toned down a bit, or he chose to believe so, at least. However, the look in her eyes and the deep regret and sadness he saw there, made the guilt inside him roar with a vengeance and squished any silly hope he might have held at any point. No Malfoy was ever taught how to endure any guilt, so he didn't take it well.

"Stop it!" he shouted, returning to the shaking with full force.

The way she was ignoring him unnerved him to no end. She seemed to have become a river of never-ending tears that flowed down her cheeks, not even a ghost of the will and power he had witnessed just moments ago.

He didn't know what to do to make her understand, make the stupid chit see that she wasn't the monster she thought she'd become. He wanted her to see that she would never, not in her most farfetched dreams, be like that.

She would never be like him.

Somewhere along his wearisome thoughts, it occurred to him that yelling at her was the best approach.

"Oh, for all that's holy in this world, would you stop that already? Can't you see, you insufferable Gryffindor? Look! You got what you wanted! You got payback, vengeance! On your own terms, all by your _righteous_ self," he growled through gritted teeth. "What else do you want? What _more_ could you want," he lashed at her, and she answered with a shaky voice, barely above a whisper, with tears still flowing all over her face:

"I didn't want this! I didn't want ANY of this..."

"Of course you didn't, _Gryffindor," _he pushed the words between his teeth, showing his irritation with her in each of them, snarling the last one like a curse. "That's what makes it perfect for you," he continued. "You didn't plan it; _I_ was the one that cornered you here!" He scoffed in exasperation, "Look at your tears; the sole fact that you're crying should be proof enough for you! In case you haven't noticed, you just started sobbing your heart out! Did you ever see me give just one, ONE look of regret over what I did, Granger? Did it ever occur to you that I would?"

His annoyance with her was finally getting through her stubborn skull, and forcing her to stop her tears and make room to consider his words, looking for any kind of treachery behind them. Her pause, he could see, was making the wheels in her head turn and she started to look at him with what he could only describe as a mixture of hope with suspicion, making him more frustrated with her still.

"You _regret_ it, Granger! You are sorry you ever laid a hand on me! You're saddened by the thought you could ever do such a thing, and by Merlin, Granger, IF YOU'RE UPSET OVER ENJOYING YOURSELF WITH THE LIKES OF ME! I'll–" he stopped himself there and took a breath to gather some control over himself and how angered that thought had made him.

"Look, you haven't changed, Granger. You're still the same goody two-shoes you were before you entered this room! You stupid Gryffindor!" he swore, dripping all of the venom he could master on each word. "I was supposed to break you against that wall in the alley and even then, you insufferable minx, you drove me into pleasuring you! Fuck! Granger, how many times did I make you come?" he yelled in exasperation.

Then, it clicked in her that _that_ hadn't been part of the plan, that he had lost control back then too, the same way she had lost control now, it was like a bulb had suddenly lightened inside her. They had planned to _break_ her, she'd been right, _oh how she'd hoped she was right _, they hadn't expected her to enjoy it, how could they? She wasn't evil like them; _she wasn't!, _she breathed. _That_ had not been part of the plan, her reaction was just the result of him losing control, and she could now understand _how_ he had lost control.

Because she had lost it too.

It had been an accident. She wasn't a traitor; she wasn't a monster. It had all been the result of their deceitful plans, forced upon an immature and obnoxious boy... but a boy she'd seen grow up, nonetheless. She had been right; he was a bully, but he wasn't an evil heartless bastard. There wasn't a way that that could have happened without her seeing it during all her time at Hogwarts. He hadn't been able to do it. That's why all the stares, all of his blatant behaviour... he'd known he wouldn't have the guts to go through it. That was why he had been silent at first; she could see it now... clear as day. He was doubtful, or at least he had been, up until she angered him.

And even then, he hadn't been able to go through with it properly. He'd put his plans in action by losing control and he'd butchered his mission by losing control too.

Her lips curved into the ghost of a small smile as she started realising the truth behind his words.

Although he'd finally gotten what he wanted from her, the smile forming in her lips made him realise he might have gone too far in his pursuit for the almighty goddess that had ridden him into ecstasy. He'd told her too much. The fury that enveloped him made him hit the wall right behind her head; the fact she didn't even flinch was the last drop he could take. He pulled his shirt on with wrath flowing in each movement taking it out on his clothes until he finished changing.

All the time, she was still standing against the wall looking at him as in a daze; as if with each piece of clothing he forced on his body, she was solving the puzzle, ending the nightmare that he alone had created and of which she had not been the only victim. She was carrying a smile of relief in her face. She gleamed with it.

He sneered at her as he handed her the transfigured rug, which was once again her scarf, along with her wand and left, not without hearing her whispered "thank you." He closed the door more forcefully behind him.

Outside, Draco realised that she was still covered with his cloak. He was repeating, as if it were a mantra, that she retained his cloak only because he didn't want anything that had her stench on it and not because it hadn't crossed his mind to tear it from her. She was keeping his cloak, and the knowledge of such an insignificant detail just made him walk faster.

Harry and Ron were worrying about Hermione, after they didn't come back together like they'd agreed. They had asked for her when they arrived at the common room, but were told she'd already gone up to her room and that she didn't seem well, so they left her to rest, thinking she was sick.

Their suspicions were confirmed the next day, when Parvati and Lavender told them she had asked them to tell the teachers she wouldn't be able to attend classes. They were slightly relieved by the empty plates Lavender brought down from her room, after telling them she didn't think Hermione wanted to see anyone. Lavender informed them that Hermione was just lying in bed and didn't want to go to the infirmary. _Ever the stubborn Hermione_, they thought, and let it go until the next day, when they did see her in classes but still, something was off with her.

She seemed... distracted; a word that, when applied to Hermione, sounded disturbing. The way she kept borrowing their wands was making them worry even more. She kept saying that hers wasn't working properly, but refused to have it checked by anyone, not even the _professors_. She claimed she would work on it during meal breaks and asked them to bring some food for her when they were back, which of course they did.

Their concern was not placated until the next day, when Hermione finally arrived for lunch with a smile plastered on her face and a slight defiance noted in each step she made.

"I thought you'd be working on your wand again," said Harry.

"I told you, you should let McGonagall have a look at it," Ron grumbled as he ate.

"What? Oh! I already took care of it, it was nothing after all," said Hermione, while adding more food to the already large pile on her plate.

"Good," Harry replied, looking startled at the quantity of food Hermione was adding to her already jam-packed dish. "'Mione, are you really going to eat all that?"

Hermione looked affronted. "Yes… Well, I'm hungry, ok?"

"It's larger than Ron's meal after a match against Slytherin, and you know that's saying something," he joked.

She coughed on her food while they laughed and continued talking, not noticing the light blush that crept over her cheeks.

Hermione tried not to think too much over what had happened inside Snape's cabinet. The events that transpired there opened her mind to things she would have preferred remain closed. When she left the cabinet, she scurried away to the Prefect's bathroom, and once there, she didn't rub on her skin the way she had in her previous baths. She contented herself with submerging into the water, letting it relax all her senses, as she brought her head back to look into the mirror in front of her.

She was no longer viewing a self-pitying image of herself. She was still smiling as she paid closer attention to the marks across her body and traced them with her hand, remembering how he'd done each of them, and how he'd made more visible the ones that had already been there. Trying to make sense of what had happened, as she brushed every little mark. She had never masturbated before, and hardly realised that was exactly what she was doing, but once her conscience grasped the concept of it, she didn't stop. She continued travelling her hands around her body, continued thinking of him as she brought herself to ecstasy, no longer a trace of regret or sadness over what she felt.

After her bath, she climbed out of the tub and, still looking in the mirror, Hermione took hold of her wand. As she brought the tip to her marks, though, she couldn't bring herself to heal them and ended up giving them a small glamour; she refused to renounce the pleasure they brought her and she didn't see any harm in keeping them so only she could see them. Maybe he'd be able to see them too, since he already knew of their existence, but she didn't think it would matter.

She exited the bathroom with a renewed mood on her. She knew that whatever had happened in the cabinet hadn't been planned, and the outcome had revealed more than she could have ever imagined about Draco Malfoy. She knew she was no longer the victim of what was happening, or at least not the _only_ one. She didn't know where it all would lead, but she promised herself that she would make the most of it. She wasn't going to play the wounded prey; not ever again.

After that, it seemed the game had reversed and he was the one trying to avoid her now. Not that she would go looking for him, but she could still tell from the foul mood he carried around himself, and it amused her to see how he would take it out on the rest of his Slytherin minions. Now, he didn't even approach her with the smallest of insults, and contented himself with glaring.

The first time that she caught him staring at her, they were in an advanced class of Arithmancy, and he was looking at her neck. She self-consciously put a hand around it, almost expecting to find something there. She fidgeted uncomfortably under his glare and crossed her legs, trying to turn away from him to face Professor Vector, who was still explaining the new assignment to the class. She had inadvertently pulled her skirt upwards with her movement and she would have never noticed, if it wasn't for the almost pained expression he had directed at her thighs as he snapped his quill in two.

She pulled her skirt further down, trying to hide the grin that was fighting its way to her lips. Later on, she would have never admitted to it, of course.

After class, she let herself linger in the classroom, giving him time to get as far away from her as he could and knew he would.

Draco was on the verge of insanity. _That insufferable know-it-all bookworm! What the fuck was she thinking, displaying herself like that! _Oh, the way the delectable wench kept torturing him was inhumane… all he wanted was to have her grinding under him as he thrust into her tight… _No! That's not the way to fight it, Draco. You know better than that. Think of McGonagall in a bunny suit, Snape in a tutu, the Dark Lord in a bikini… whoa! There, too much..."_

He was stopped in his tracks by Nott. "Malfoy, I have something for you."

"I don't want anything from _you,_ Nott; fuck off!"

"On the contrary, Malfoy, I believe I can help you pull out whatever crawled up your ass and died there, and I think I've got just what you need. I've seen the way you look at the Mudblood lately…"

That made him pay attention. "Whatever hallucination you've brought yourself to conjure, Nott, I'm not interested in hearing it."

"You see, I got myself this new camera in Knockturn Alley. It activates with movement. I thought I'd lost it the other day, but I found it back in the Prefect's bathroom this morning, and you wouldn't believe what it recorded…"

"Whatever sick photos you want to sell to me, Nott, I'm NOT interested! Now shove off."

"It's Potter's Mudblood..." That stopped him altogether.

"She was there, you see, all covered in bruises... I know, I didn't see them either, not until I saw the photos, at least. She didn't even heal herself, the kinky wench. I wonder who's doing it to her… Would have never thought it of Potter, really…" Draco was giving him a murderous glare. He didn't think he could master any more self-control.

"…but once you see the photos, you'll be able to see them, too. Oh, and all the things she did with herself, you're going to love it…" Nott was silenced as Draco punched him in the face and pushed him by the collar against the wall.

"What did you do with those photos, Nott?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"What the fuck, Malfoy! I'm not giving you anything until you pay its price. This will only make it higher, you prick!" Nott yelled back at him.

"If you value your life, Nott, you'll give me the photos before I pull my wand out!"

"What are you doing?" A horrified female voice came from his left. _Could this get any better?_ Draco thought sarcastically, he had recognised the voice immediately.

"Leave it alone, Granger," he growled, growing annoyed with the grin that spread across Nott's face; dirty little rat thought he'd been saved by the bell.._._

"Let him go," she put a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to get in trouble, Malfoy, just let it go! This is a hallway and Professor Vector was just about to leave her classroom…" She was trying to pull him away. He heaved a sigh of annoyance. _She was worried. Worried! _He could tell, and Nott's eyes grew large as it dawned on him as well. "It's you! You're the one who -"

Draco didn't let him finish. "Where did you put them, Nott?" he snarled, hitting him against the wall once more.

"Oh, Merlin, this is going to be so much better…" Nott's grin couldn't get any wider, "They're in the camera in my left pocket, Malfoy. You can have them; I think I've earned myself a monthly wage with this, if you want me to keep this from your father, that is," Nott said, showing his sudden glee with each word.

Draco pulled his wand out before Nott could react and cast an Obliviate that rendered him unconscious.

"Malfoy, what are you doing? Why did you do that? He'd already told you where it was! What was that all about? Stop manhandling him like that! He said his left pocket! Argh…" She kneeled next to him and pulled the camera out of Nott's cloak.

"Why do you want this? Don't you think he's going to realize someone stole it?"

He took the camera from her and pulled her around the corner. "He'd already lost it this morning; he's not going to miss it. Now hurry, he's going to wake up soon. Just get into that cupboard, will you? And for the love of Merlin, stay quiet!" She huffed, but remained next to the door, trying to hear any movements behind it while he became distracted with the camera.

After a while, she felt Nott rouse from his stupor and heard his footsteps get away from the hallway, just before she heard Professor Vector pass in the other direction. She turned to Draco to inform him that he could now go on his way again and tried not to smile as she thought him trying to avoid her once more. "It's safe now, I think he's gone to the dungeons…" she whispered, noticing for the first time how engrossed he seemed to be with the camera. She tried to shake him out of his reverie, not expecting the growl that escaped his lips as she touched him or the lust she found in his eyes when he turned to look at her.

"My god, you are going to be the death of me…" he said in a strained voice and pulled her to him. He kissed her, not roughly like previous times, but just with abandon, as if he'd finally given up. He let the camera fall to the ground as he muttered the spells she now knew were the reason they had never been caught.

"Need - to - have - you," he muttered between kisses. She didn't understand what had gone off on him but didn't care enough to stop him as his lips slowly lured her again. He kept whispering nonsense as he was pulling at her clothes; touching her as if afraid she'd pull away at any moment. He lowered her to the ground, taking her blouse off and marvelling as he took in every part of her that he had uncovered. "Fuck, you are amazing!" he said hungrily, while he got rid of her bra and started kissing her there. "I wanted to do this since I saw you in classes." His hand was caressing his way down to her legs and tugging at her skirt, increasing her desire for him.

"Merlin, you have such a gorgeous body…" he kept kissing her and licking her, brushing the small spots he'd created as if they on their own were precious. "It took me a while to realize only I could see them…" He nipped at one of them, wanting to see if he could ingrain it on her skin, and she whimpered with need. "Thought you wanted to torture me…" He had finally unclasped her skirt and was pulling it down, along with her underwear. "Should have killed Nott," he growled, as he continued to kiss her waist. She wanted to ask what did Nott have to do with anything, but he was going down her navel and lowering himself to her mound, making her forget how to voice her questions.

"No one meddles with what is mine," he began, kissing her labia. "You are _mine,_" he said, tracing her centre with his fingers. "All of you." He placed a finger inside her. "I want all of you," he growled, and started licking her juices. "Your scent, your taste, your touch..." He was making her squirm beneath him. "The way you move drives me wild." His whispers were tickling her clit. "If I hadn't deflowered you myself, I'd think you were an expert." He started sucking her there. "Those little sounds you make," he said, travelling one of his hands up her body, "do you have any idea what they do to me?" He was playing with her nipple. "Any idea what you are doing to me..." His voice seemed pained. He continued to pinch and lick her, stopping any kind of response she wanted to give to his questions.

She lost count of how many times he made her come with his mouth. He didn't stop, until she begged him to because she couldn't take anymore. He covered her with his body, kissing every part of hers until she recovered her breath.

She pulled him up to her and kissed him, trying to convey all the things he had not let her say while he worshipped her body. She brought her arms around him and hugged him close, trying to sooth away his frustrations. He pressed his forehead to her shoulder as she kept petting his hair.

"Why are you keeping them?" he startled her.

"What - ?" she questioned. He lifted a finger to one of her hickeys and slowly caressed it to make his question clear as he withdrew to look at her.

She sighed. "I–" she didn't know how to explain herself "– I just couldn't bring myself to take them away."

"...But why? Why couldn't you? The charm you used was harder than the one to heal them."

"It's not that I didn't know the charms, Draco," she chuckled, letting his name roll through her tongue completely unaware.

"I know, but-"

She heaved a sigh and tried to make him understand. "At first I just didn't want to use the wand that you had used against me."

"You kept borrowing Potter's, I know."

"I didn't want anything to do with it. It brought back memories. I felt it had betrayed me and I didn't want anything to do with it. It reminded me of how I had lost myself when you took me the first time." She saw him turn his gaze away and wondered if he regretted it.

"After what happened in the cabinet, I went to the Prefect's bathroom and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them; this, whatever it is, it opened my eyes."

"I know," Draco scoffed.

"What do you mean, how would you know?" she asked. He looked at her intently for a moment, before retrieving the camera he'd left on the floor.

"I watched it," he said, and opened the camera for her to watch as he handed it to her. He displayed the recordings of the camera and she only needed to see the first few seconds of it before comprehension dawned on her.

"Oh, my GOD!" she exclaimed, clasping a hand to her mouth.

"I know. I wanted to kill him, too."

"How did he-"

"The camera activates with movement. He forgot it there."

"But he's not allowed to enter there! It's just for –"

"Oh please, Granger; do you really think just the Prefects have access to that – Are you blushing?"

"No, I'm not!" she said too quickly and with an aggravated voice.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, I would have thought you'd be furious! He tried to sell them to me!"

"He did what? Oh, my God! Of course, I'm furious! I'm going to strangle that little…"

"That doesn't explain the blush. Obviously, anger is not all you're feeling…" he scowled at her, getting closer in a scrutinizing manner, as she tried to turn her face away from him. Comprehension dawned on him, bringing back that annoying smirk of his. "Only you could muster any shame over such a sexy scene with _me_, Granger." he chuckled.

That prominent desire to punch him crawled its way back into her mind with swift fury. But he stopped himself, apparently aware of its appearance.

"So, you understand now why I Obliviated him? I wasn't going to let him keep a memory of that! If you hadn't decided to make an appearance, I would have enjoyed torturing the little nasty rat; the way he talked about you… I wanted to break his neck…" Draco continued, reminiscing, in his fury, over just what he would have liked to do with Nott.

His off-the-cuff monologue made her look at him with astonishment. "You were going to fight Nott because of me?"

He looked at her as if just noticing her there, and kept his stare intent for a while. "You are mine…" he said slowly. "Nobody touches what's mine," he said, as if it explained everything.

She looked at him, as one would look at a child that refuses to accept the death of a pet, with sadness and compassion. She didn't dare to clarify that he was wrong, that he couldn't protect her. Not from himself, or his parents; nor from the wrath of Voldemort and his followers, or from a war whose sole purpose was to eliminate her kind and placed her on top of the list of targets.

Right now, she couldn't bring herself to point out how it was precisely a mission to break her that had made him go soft on her. Right now, hidden inside that cupboard, she didn't mind pretending that his fierceness and determination were enough to protect her, or even claim her as his; this thought brought a smile to her lips and gave her hope. Hope that, maybe, not all of them were bad, and maybe, sooner or later, they'd realise it. Even if she knew that the calm such hope provided would only last so long, and that as soon as she went out that door, all her fears and worries would find her once more.

He would never know that it was his attack that had taught her just how important it was to never let her guard down, and just how much people can hurt you; even those with whom you share the same roof.


	4. Chapter 4

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Chapter 4: **_**Caving in**_ by WickedDiSaster

Draco stopped her before she could turn the corner. He was experiencing an incredible urge to have her; he just couldn't fight it anymore. He needed to be inside her and the recently vacated classroom they'd just left suited him just fine. The awful display of affection from Pansy during breakfast had left him in a dreadful mood. He considered that, after getting used to caviar, everything else ended up tasting like raw fish.

And he couldn't wait to get the taste out of his mouth.

He was holding one of her arms and was about to turn her towards him to catch those beautiful lips of hers when she interrupted him with a furious cry.

"Don't you dare touch me!" she pulled away, offended.

Oh, he wasn't going to stand through one of her taunts _now. _He needed her, couldn't she see that? What the heck was wrong with her? _It's not like you weren't writhing beneath me just yesterday, _he thought accusingly_. You didn't resist me then and I don't think you have a right to do so now, Granger…_

He reached for her again and ended up pulling them both into the classroom.

"What part of _don't touch me_ didn't get through your thick head, Malfoy! You can't just grope me around and pull me into an empty room every time you feel like it! Especially after sullying yourself with that bitch… Let me go!" she shrieked, pulling hard away from him.

Oh, _now_ he understood ... "For fuck's sake, Granger, it's not like I wanted to kiss Pansy in the first place!" Honestly! He'd forgotten she existed until that morning when, all of a sudden, the cow decided to remind him of their relationship.

"So letting her kiss you is alright with you, then? Go to hell! Or better yet; why don't you go back to her!" She pushed him away from her and went to open the door.

_Oh, no you don't!_ he thought, as he pulled her back to him. "It's not like I gave you a choice, you know? I want you. And I want you now…" he said heatedly, before pinning her against the wall and lowering his lips to hers. He forced his tongue inside of her and started exploring every crevice of her mouth hungrily. He kissed her like the first time. He was frustrated enough with her to do so.

He wanted her, and he wasn't taking no for an answer.

Or so he thought, until he felt a hot, burning pain across his cheek from her slap. It was third year all over again.

The unexpected blow took him by surprise and it took him a while to gather his wits and adjust his jaw to the right place. _Give it to Granger to NOT hit like a girl…_ he thought, soothing the pain across his jaw. It gave her just enough time to push her way out of his grasp and get far enough to look at him with vehemence.

_Boy, did she look hot!_ Hands on her hips, cheeks flushed and her hair wild. She whispered in a deathly tone, "I'll have a choice whenever I please, Malfoy." Taking a step closer, she added, "I'll touch you." She lifted a finger to his cheek causing goose bumps on her way down across his neck and chest. "I'll kiss you," she said, barely pressing her lips against his as her hand travelled down to his pants, "and I'll have you," she finished as she groped him hard there, "whenever _I_ feel like it."

And she spun from the room before he could react, leaving Draco with an unbearable hard on and a still-burning cheek.

_Oh, how he hated Pansy!_

But he couldn't help himself, and smirked._ Green suited Granger just fine… _

It had been a week since the last time he'd been with Hermione, and he was starting to admit that his need for her went beyond the common physical attraction he was used to. He had already relented, agreeing to get rid of Pansy for her and had had a very public break-up during breakfast the very next morning. It was pathetic to witness the denial Pansy was going through by refusing to admit they were no longer an item.

Pathetic, and then infuriating; when Hermione continued avoiding him!

The bitch, as Hermione had accurately dubbed Parkinson, hadn't given up until he threatened to make sure her father's enterprises went bankrupt if she tried to hit on him again.

It took Hermione one week after that to allow him into her life again. One week, until he finally found himself between her legs. When he did, he promised he wouldn't let anyone else get in his way to her ever again, while she moaned her agreement beneath him.

Life, Draco decided, was perfect after that…


	5. Chapter 5

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Chapter 5: **_**Experimenting**_ by WickedDiSaster

As time progressed Hermione had time to think thoroughly about what had taken place in her life. Once the bewilderment and guilt over what her body had allowed and _enjoyed_ were over, she let her mind reflect over what it meant.

She knew she should have never felt guilty in the first place and looked for the reason behind that guilt: why she had felt dirty, not for being defiled but for the pleasure that act had brought to her.

She first researched what had physically happened to her body during that time and what she found out made her research take a complete different turn. Because according to everything she read, what she had felt that day was completely normal and actually looked for in married witches during intercourse.

Under further investigation, she even found out that this was not common for all witches and that some of them never knew what an orgasm was until a very mature stage in their lives.

She noticed how this occurrence was common for witches but not so much for Muggle women…

She knew she had been raised in a completely Muggle environment, where children and teenagers received open counselling about sex and sexuality. But she had never thought about how she had relinquished this sex education when she entered the wizard society, where she outgrew her adolescence.

She realized how that society had deeply ingrained in her mind the importance of purity of witches and how they should stay this way until marriage.

She realized how her continuous desire to fit in had kept her from questioning this belief in the past and how it not only made her feel guilty and inadequate for the _pleasure_ she had felt at the time, but also how this chauvinistic concept hadn't let her explore or know her body the way any healthy Muggle teenager would. She realized she'd never had any sexual fantasies or considered the idea of masturbation, and therefore, she didn't know how her body could react to the right stimulation.

She blamed her ignorance in that field for not recognizing Draco's advances the first time he took her in that alley.

And no matter his intentions on that day, she knew she was lucky, she knew that any other Death Eater with that task wouldn't have taken her the way he did.

That alone was another matter entirely; she still couldn't understand his infatuation with her, even though after a while, she'd discovered Draco just didn't have it in him to be vile during sex.

He was a "_pleaser_"_, _if such a thing existed. He was turned on just by knowing how much he could excite his counterpart. That didn't explain why he was still looking for _her _to have sex when he obviously had other options available. Not that she was about to voice her doubts, but she couldn't help but wonder.

Draco, intentionally or not, had shown her what the moralistic society she lived in had been hiding from her all this time. And it was only until now that she realized the stupidity of it all and the risks that it presented.

Her experience with the Slytherin was so eye-opening that she decided to put an end to her ignorance.

And so as the days progressed, Hermione found herself bedding Draco Malfoy more times than she could count – if bedding was indeed the right word, since there was hardly ever a bed involved in their trysts.

Draco was always an active participant; he would corner her after classes, kidnap her during patrols and paid heed to every note she'd pass his way with obvious enthusiasm.

They explored each other's body, learning things that they had never been able to discover before.

For Hermione, everything they did was new, but she embraced her new knowledge with eagerness; the more Hermione explored, the more she wanted to know. Faithful to her nature, she researched all the books she could find about the art of sex. And when she found the stack in the library shockingly deficient, she committed herself to figuring out how to make the wireless connection of her laptop work inside the castle. (Yes, she even asked her mother to send it to her).

The main problem was that the magic within Hogwarts wouldn't allow it to work. The only places where she could continue her research were in the secret passages that led to Honeydukes Sweetshop and the Shrieking Shack.

After Draco found out what she was doing and realized from where his little bookworm got all her devious ideas, he decided to help. He was impressed with the Muggle gadget she introduced to him but way more astonished when she actually managed to make it work in such a magically charged environment. It seemed like her toy (_what was the name again?) _needed energy to work, and Hermione had been able to make it draw the necessary energy from magic itself.

After the first days she spent her time in the Shrieking Shack, Draco started to bring food with him, as well as charmed covers and cots.

When he applied the Imperturbable charms around the entrance, they decided to make it their meeting place. Hermione started to leave her laptop there. After a while, Draco brought Nott's camera to the Shack and strategically placed it in front of the covers. She never confessed to him how fond she really was of the little gear. She often used it for inspiration whenever he wasn't around and suspected he used it that way as well.

For Draco, Hermione was like a newly acquired addiction. He had indeed been with other witches before Hermione, but he reached the conclusion that none of the pureblood buffoons were good enough to kiss Hermione's feet. Their curiosity, dedication and willingness put together were nothing when compared to Hermione's. The Gryffindor, _his Gryffindor_, excelled in everything she did, as usual, and she did it with such passion.

He had never thought it possible to enjoy being a lab rat, much less being _Granger's _lab rat. But he found out he would give up any job in the Ministry, including being the Minister himself, in favour of this particular job. Even if her next experiment were to consist of chains and whips.

Oh, and the best thing about Hermione was that after experimenting with him, she allowed him to do the same with her. She claimed that the whole point of it was to earn a better knowledge of themselves and be able to identify what they liked and what they didn't.

Draco thought that was utter bullshit since he couldn't think of something that he would _not_ like to do to her, but she would continue with her rant and say they had to know if they preferred for example being in control or being the one controlled, and again, Draco wouldn't mention how he enjoyed both with Hermione…

He had accepted that he had grown fond of the Mudblood. And since he couldn't help wanting her and Draco was used to have everything he wanted, he convinced himself that it was his right to have her and that he would allow no one, not even the Dark Lord, to take from him this particular claim over her.

He refused to think over all the consequences of this small assessment or how terrible the outcome could be. Right now, he lived for the present and let the future be damned.

Unfortunately, not everything was perfect. You see, when one is having addictive, breathtaking, mind-blowing sex, it's hard to think about anything else, much less concentrate in classes. Who cares about McGonagall's lessons when your mind is filled with so much more interesting recollections?

So, when Hermione found out that his marks were far lower than usual, she went almost catatonic.

"A Poor? You got a Poor? Draco Malfoy, are you out of your mind? Just because we're involved in sexual activities doesn't mean that you can stop paying attention in classes. Really, the NEWTs aren't that far off, and if you…"

He had stopped listening there. Not that he had paid much attention to the beginning of her rant. She was furious, cheeks flushed, fists on her hips, her hair a little wild. How was he supposed to hear anything? His eyes never left her lips, moving, imagining…

He finally got a clue of what she was talking about when, aroused and impatient, he had pulled her into a kiss only to have her push him away. She looked at him straight in the eyes and murmured, "Bad marks, no sex," and left him alone on the empty classroom.

_What the f–? _

So that was how Draco decided not to go to the Hogsmeade visit and instead stayed at the castle to study. He had learned that Granger was going with her two idiotic sidekicks, promising to spend the entire day with them, so there was not a chance he could corner her to demand an explanation.

His morning and afternoon were spent in the library doing homework and some other assignments to get extra credits from the professors. Around 5 o'clock, he paid a quick visit to the kitchens and locked himself inside his room to continue his work.

When he went to breakfast the next morning, he didn't see her eating with her stupid friends. Hell, he didn't see the Golden Trio at all. And he only had to pay more attention to the rumours around him to understand what had happened.

Fate had decided it was time for him to face reality. And so it was that the Slytherin prince found himself in the hospital wing, facing a very pale and unconscious Hermione, the words of Madam Pomfrey echoing in his head:

"Albus, I don't know if she's going to make it, the curse she took was very powerful… I've never seen Potter like that; I had to trick him with a Calming Draught to get him out of the room. The guilt is going to destroy him, Albus…"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: ***squeals* I'm soooooo Happy you guys like it! Your reviews leave me on a daze!!!! Thank you so much

**Chapter 6 - Awareness**

The worst of it was that it wasn't really Potter's fault. No, he knew better than that, he thought bitterly. It was obvious it had been planned to look that way, they expected the _mudblood_ to die for the Golden boy; and to his everlasting sorrow he suspected it was _his father _who had planned it. They knew the ever loyal little bookworm - "_his bookworm" _he thought painfully - would protect Potter with her last breath, with everything she had. And of course, that's exactly what she did...

It had happened during the Hogsmeade visit he had missed; he'd heard something about the attack before breakfast but didn't pay attention to the murmurs until he noticed her absence.

He went to the hospital wing to visit the first year Slytherin who had been present at the scene; Hermione had caught him sneaking to the visit and was taking him back to Hogwarts when they were ambushed. She had pushed him into the bushes to protect him and during the fight the _clumsy _mudblood fell into the way of a curse meant for Potter.

The ungrateful little slug made it sound like an accident.

But that didn't matter; it was then he heard the hushed whisper between that incompetent nurse and the old fool they called headmaster.

How many times had he informed it to his father when he was spying over the hideous dream team? How many times had he explained just how they didn't need him to break her to have Potter coming to them for revenge?

It tortured him to remember. How stupid had he been to be relieved by his silence. He should have guessed… No, he should have _known_ they were working on a bigger scheme! Wasn't he after all, the one who told them _every-little-bloody-detail_?! HIM!

Yeah, of course Potter would be devastated by the loss of the mudblood, but the pain would be unbearable if he thought the demise of his friend was his fault. It not only served as a diversion; it was meant to be a demoralizing taunt that would bring the unsuspected boy to the Dark Lord's lair before the funeral took place.

Knowing Pothead as he did, the Golden Boy would certainly seek revenge by himself. Virtually served on a silver plate!

All thanks to _his_ information; how smug he had felt at the time, and how desperately hollow he felt now.

The knowledge of it being _him_, and not Potter, the one responsible for her state in the infirmary was eating at his insides. He walked to his classes and ate in perpetual silence, often seen with a lost stare in his eyes. None of his so called "friends" knew how to deal with him. No one dared to approach him.

He couldn't stop brooding over the letters he had sent to his father, the guilt in his chest digging a hole in his conscience. It was suffocating him like a growing pressure slowly growing and not letting him breath. It was a wound inside that he could feel stretching over his heart; slowly dying for having been part of a plot that was killing her just as slow? As he accepted what he had been denying all this time. Even if he couldn't voice it, he could no longer deny it.

He didn't even get the luxury Potter gained by staying at her side. Karma was definitely a conniving bitch.

On the fourth day after the attack he decided he had to end his pitiable attitude and stop the pathetic grieving Gryffindor. She wasn't dead yet. And she wasn't going to be. Simply because he didn't think he could live with that.

It was late in the evening when he sneaked into the infirmary room to meet Potter…

*

"Get the fuck out, Malfoy!" Harry said in a hoarse voice. Ron had been thrown out of the room by Madam Pomfrey, she had given up on Harry on the second day…

Draco walked closer to her bed ignoring Harry. He wanted to look at her one more time, wanted to make sure he had a last sight of her before he parted and he wanted her to remind him why he was going to do this. Merlin knew he needed every little incentive he could get so he never looked away from her as he spoke:

"Everything always revolves around you, doesn't it Potter?"

"Shut the fuck up, Malfoy! You don't know what you're talking about!" Draco could hear the pain behind his words.

_Oh, I know exactly what I'm talking about…_ "On the contrary Potter, I can tell; the guilt is eating you inside out. Looking at her just makes the gush in your heart grow larger but you are too terrified to leave her side."

"Just leave, Malfoy" Harry said defeated, he seemed to have given up the fight.

"The thing, Potter, is that what you're feeling is a lie. You see, Pothead, it's not really your fault she's laying on this bed. The curse was never intended to hit you, she was the target since the beginning and you just had to be around when it happened."

"She took a hit meant for ME, Malfoy! Shut your fucking trap!"

"That's why you had to be there, Potter, it had to look that way."

"And you expect me to believe that?!"

Draco sighed, "It's not what I expect that matters; it's what is expected from you. All they have to do now is wait; wait for you to come to them. It's not like the thought hasn't crossed your mind. That's the trick. The whole purpose of their little scheme."

Draco made sure he looked at him before he said. "If you go Potter, they win. They win and her sacrifice will be for nothing. You don't want that, do you?" Malfoy said with a sneer on his face

"And why are you here, Malfoy? What's in it for you? Why the fuck should I listen to _you!_" Harry asked, voicing his disbelief…

A smile curled upon Draco's lips: "Oh you know I'm telling the truth, you are not that stupid, you wouldn't have survived this long otherwise. As for what's in it for me…" He took this time to look at her again, "The guilt is eating at me too. But unlike you, Potter, my guilt is real. It was _me_ who planted the idea on their heads, _me _who gave them the means to carry it out and _me_ who neglected to see what was so obviously going to happen…"

He lifted a hand to trace it across her cheek and lowered himself to press a small kiss on her forehead. He closed his eyes before he pulled away.

"I'm sure it was my father who cursed her…"

Harry was looking at him with contempt but didn't stop him. He had never seen Malfoy show any kind of emotion; and he had never imagined to see sorrow reflected on his features. Much less sorrow for the state of his friend, so he let him continue.

"…I think I can figure out the curse he used but I need to go to the Manor to do it. I just need time to get the counter-curse, and that's what you're going to give me, Potter. You're going to wait here and not do anything rushed until I get back. I need them to be busy preparing for you, so you just have to stay here and take care of her."

With that Draco left the infirmary before Harry could say anything.

* * *

**A/N: ** Please review.

Di

**A/N: ** so here's what I've got… as usual, tell me if you think of a way to improve it.

I am very thankful for your ideas, most of which made me confident about what I had already written. (Thank you **lovelyru** & **margaritama**)

**Mr. B Shadow **and** wishilivedinthe70s** inspired the little twist in the end (Don't ask how, they just did).


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – Requiem**

Funny; he knew he would miss her body, her kisses and those exquisite things she did with her lips. He knew he would miss the way she melted under him and those little sounds she made.

He knew he'd miss how it felt to be inside of her.

And, as Draco expected, he missed all of those things. But he also missed the way she looked when she slept, and waking up breathing in her scent. How he loved to cuddle her against him. He thought he shouldn't miss her laugh, nor her wit and certainly not her charisma.

He even missed her raging temper. She was so easy to infuriate, he thought.

He had been thinking about those things far too often lately, and they plagued him as he came closer to his house.

_Oh, how the mighty have fallen… _he thought looking at his reflection on the shining marble wall at the entrance of the manor.

*

"Hello father." he said closing the door to his study behind him.

"Am I to think you were not feeling sick after all, Draco?"

"Of course not father, that was just the excuse to get out of Hogwarts." Draco said, making his father smirk in amusement.

"What brings you here, then?" the elder Malfoy said as he looked up from his work.

"You weren't really expecting me to miss out on the fun, did you? After all those lame and boring tasks you had me done all year, did you really think I'd miss the exciting outcome of my research?"

"Your tasks weren't all that boring, son, even if you had to sully yourself with a mudblood."

"That's for you to say, you didn't have to go through with it."

"Which reminds me, what did you do so she didn't tell on you? You never told me..." Lucius asked, half suspicious, half impressed.

"That's because there was nothing to tell. She didn't want to go through the public shame of admitting she'd been defiled by the likes of me. She even distanced herself from Potter and Weasley."

"Is that so?"

"Yes father. I was a bit surprised when your scheme worked in fact, I didn't know she could still have it in her to fight back, or well; die trying anyway…"

"So, you think the Potter kid will fall for the bait?" was that hope on his father's voice?

"I don't know father. But I'm sure you had a backup plan, you always do, please tell me; I'm intrigued."

"Don't tell me you haven't guessed yet" his father raised a brow at him looking expectant.

"I might have… Where are you keeping the antidote, father?"

"Good boy. It's closer than you think, actually. It's next to the bottle of wine you have on your left hand."

"This bottle you mean? All of it?"

"Well not all of it, precisely. Bring it here and I'll show you." his father let a few drops fall into his desk, each of them slowly growing wider and solidifying into small purple stones the size of small buttons. Draco took hold of a couple of them to get a closer look.

"This is the antidote? And you have a bottle full of it? …What for? "

"To give it to Potter, of course"

"Ok…" Draco said reluctantly "what's the catch?"

"It's because of the curse, naturally. It's killing her. But it's _how_ it's killing her that's the best of it; it's slowly poisoning all her organs, making them old until they rot inside of her.

"For now, he'll see her lying in bed looking growing more pale with each day. Then, as the curse spreads, her hair will grow white. After that, the pain will start. It's a small variation of the Cruciatus Curse in a way. It's an excruciating pain that slowly grows in her body, increasing perpetually until she finally dies. Eventually she'll get out of her comma and beg for him to kill her because she won't be strong enough to do it herself… If he does wait that long, by then we'll have warned him about the existence of this bottle…"

Draco had to force himself to breath, to keep quiet and nonchalant. By just imagining it, he felt a cold grip on his heart, panic rising inside of him. _Her life depends on your act Draco. It's all up to you, you can do this. Calm down…_

"Why the whole bottle?" his father was looking smug; never a good sign…

"…Because, it will free her from the curse but not from the pain. Each little pill will heal the damage on her organs but will revive the pain caused by it nonetheless. If she starts taking it once the pain starts, she'll have to go through one of these little pills on a daily basis for as many days as she's been cursed, but believe me son. For what each little drop causes, she'll end up worse than the Longbottom's before she finishes the dose."

"What happens if she takes it before the pain starts?"_ breath, Draco BREATH…_

"She'd just have to go through one. It's still a lot of pain to endure, but none of that matters, you'll have to conform with what I've just told you, because there's no way you can stay here much longer. If Potter doesn't arrive tomorrow, you'll have to go back to Hogwarts the next day and hope that watching the mudblood's torture will suffice."

"What if he just lets her die?"

"Not very likely Draco, but I've given you enough; I have work to do, now leave. And be kind enough to put all that back to its place." he said pointing to the bottle and pills on his desk.

*

It had been easier than he had hoped. _There might be a god out there after all!_ He thought.

The rest of his stay was spent on the library researching every detail he could on the curse and the antidote, until his father interrupted him to tell him he had to go back to Hogwarts.

"Don't glare at me, boy. It's not my fault Potter wishes to play hard to get"

"What if they get the antidote before that?"

"The curse has been in the family for centuries. The book you are holding is the only existing copy."

"It wouldn't be the first time Potter sneaked his-"

"Stop procrastinating, Draco. You are not staying here one more minute and that's final. Now run along, I've already connected the floonetwork."

"What, I don't get to say goodbye to Mother?"

"Now, Draco!"

*****

"Your father is a twisted piece of shit, Malfoy." Harry said glaring at Draco from the pensieve. It had taken some time to convince Potter that he had the antidote. He had to go as far as producing the stupid pensieve and throw him into the memory.

Potter was still suspicious and seemed hesitant to let him get close to Hermione again; "If something happens to her, Malfoy, I'll kill you."

Draco just rolled his eyes and approached the bed.

He knew it was going to be painful. He had expected her to scream when he pulled the antidote through her throat. It was suppose to burn her insides as she swallowed. It would burn the parts of her body that had been affected by the curse.

In a very atypical behaviour for him, he had informed her still body before he did, and murmured words of encouragement as he pulled her head forward, opening her mouth before he administered the antidote.

She opened her eyes wide when he did, her features contorted in pain. He saw her look at him before she shut them again. She had heard him. Her face flushed and tears started to appear on her cheeks. All her body tensed. He saw her crush the blanket in her fists making her knuckles look whiter. She was trying not to thrash about on the bed or voice the pain he knew she was feeling, as the little pill burned her throat and probably now all of her chest. It would not stop until it burned every part of her body. According to his research, the curse had already spread as much.

He admired her strength but it was heart-wrenching to see her bear the pain that way. She must have known Potter was there, for sure.

He put a hand on her head trying to sooth away the pain, in vain. She started making small whimpers and her fists slowly let go of her covers; she was trying to say something…

"'old me…" it came out as a pleading sob.

He grabbed both of her hands and pinned her to the bed before she started thrashing against his hold. He saw Potter do the same with her legs and put a piece of cloth across her mouth.

She bit hard against it pulling her head to one side as her body started to shake uncontrollably.

It lasted for about a minute before her sobs started to come as slow gasps that ended up in shallow breaths. Her eyes were unnaturally red when she opened them.

"It's over." she tried to give them a smile but it turned into a grimace. She was sweating.

"Yes, yes it is." said Draco, "You didn't have to hold it all up, you know. I did put a silencing charm on the infirmary."

"Hermione" Harry breathed and launched himself at her, hugging her "I'm so sorry."

"Careful Potter, she's still sore."

"It's alright, I'm fine, Harry. There's nothing you should be sorry for. It was my decision and I'd do it all over again."

"No you won't! Hermione, what a heck were you thinking?!"

"Potter, now is not the time, she's still delicate, she needs to rest" Hermione gave him a thankful smile and took his hand.

"Thank you" she said giving a light squeeze.

"Oh, I'm still thinking what I'm going to ask in return. I saved your life, after all" She smiled still looking at him.

"Thanks for keeping him safe." Hermione made clear.

"You knew? Could you hear?"

"…Sometimes. The death eater that cursed me smiled when he saw me. He should have looked angry, not triumphant, but it was too late by then. I couldn't warn him."

"Warn him? Granger, WARN HIM? You could have died. And your last wish was to WARN HIM?!"

"You're not going to start yelling at me too now, are you? I would have done the same for you…"

He made an exasperated sound. "I know…" he said, "That's what makes it worse!"

She tried to give him a smile but it didn't placate him. She took a deep breath before continuing, "I know it's not the last time they'll try to play with our biggest fears and I've accepted that's the price we'll have to pay for our little pieces of heaven." She looked reassuringly at Harry, who was still looking reproachful "…but we'll stand together through it all. Maybe it's a good thing that you are able to guard your emotions all the time Draco, but not all of us can."

"Not if I can help it!" said Harry, "I'll stop our friendship if that's what it takes!"

She reacted incensed by his blurt. "Don't be ridiculous Harry! _I'm the mudblood_, it's my kind they want to exterminate. It's _my_ fight as much as yours. What do you suggest? Should I make their job easier and kill myself just to avoid their torture?"

"How can you say those things, Mione?!" Harry exclaimed aghast.

"How can you say you'll leave me, Harry Potter?!"

They never paid attention to Malfoy's wince at her rant, or the hunted look that had taken over his features as she spoke. Her words had evoked a shuddering chill to envelope his heart. The way she put it, he suddenly felt impotent to guard her from harm. Like it was inevitable, no matter how much he tried, that she was going to fight and die trying.

*

Long after Draco was gone, Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his study, looking at his fireplace with a scowl in his face.

"So, do you think he believed you?" said the voice behind the flames…

"I don't see why he wouldn't"

"Then why are you brooding like a widow?"

"It's my son you are talking about, not a commoner muggle; my only son. I won't let him be played like a pawn!" Lucius sneered.

…

**//**//**//**//**

**A/ N:** hihihihi

**A/N:** here it is; a somewhat longer chapter; edited a hundred times and by two betas: **KathGrangerPotter **(.net/u/808687/)and **caseyjarryn** (.net/u/1530827/) you can't imagine how much they added to this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Let us know what you thought.

Finally I'll be able to answer some reviews…

**kazfeist: **I almost died when I saw your reviews I couldn't believe you were reading this, most of my favourite stories have been betaed by you, (meaning: I've always envied your sorry ass, lol)

"_Eppie 2009-02-14 _

_So, I haven't reviewed anything in months, but I thought I should tell you this story has a plot that fits within the realm you've created in HP. I'd also like to thank you (or your Beta) for the few grammar mistakes._

_Keep writing!"_

**Eppie**: I don't know if Kath has seen your review yet so I had to paste it, she's just got to know how great she is, I hope you like what Casey added to the work on this chapter, it would be nice to hear from you again. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR REVIEWING!!!! Your comment made me soo happy that afternoon…

**paigeey07 and **It still bugs me that I can't, or don't know how to answer reviews on AFFnet, your reviews were the first ones I received on AFF and I wanted to let you know that you are one of the reasons I edited all over again, *grins sheepishly*.

**ginnylovesharry07 & Joe-nasGirl: **I couldn't answer to your questions because I would be ruining future chapters but I'll try to make them public sooner.

**Jess, christy, GreenEyedVixen, Sandra-Lovegood, seriana14** and all those who didn't voice their feelings regarding the cliff hanger, I'M SORRY!, I hated cliff hangers as well, just so you know, and I don't know if you've noticed **GreenEyedVixen**, but I always ask this; how _would_ you like it all to unfold?


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 - Insanity**

It was lunch time when Harry came to visit her at the hospital wing to give her an earful about what he thought of her jumping in the way of a curse meant for him. She listened through all of his speech holding her tongue, knowing he wouldn't like to hear what she had to say about it. In reality there was another subject looming over the corner that made Hermione more acceptant of the argument on which her friend was currently focussing. But as fate had it, Harry didn't take long on bringing the dreaded subject up for discussion. He started asking about Malfoy.

"So, were you planning to say anything?"

"There's not much I can say, Harry." she was feeling drained already. She didn't know how she could explain everything that had happened with Draco to Harry; especially since it mostly involved _very_ intimate moments.

He sighed. "He saved your life. That's unbelievable. It doesn't mean I forgive him, it doesn't even mean I trust him or that I want him near you. I still hate the git. But I'm grateful"

"Harry…"

"Let me finish. I don't understand what is going on between you too. I don't think I want to, but I'm willing to let it go as long as I'm sure you are safe, Mione…"

"I am. I can take care of myself, and he won't hurt me" she said in a rush.

"That doesn't mean others won't try to hurt you, Hermione. I already hate how much danger you're in just for being my friend. And you had to go and fall for the Slytherin Ferret?!" he looked dismayed.

"It's not like that, please let me explain; I know you are hurt, Harry, but I never meant to hide anything from you, I just -"

"Please save me from the gory details. The less I know, the better I'll feel about it. Gosh Mione! Malfoy of all people?!"

"I know… it just… happened, I ..." she was struggling to find the right words and she was afraid she wasn't going t o find them.

"How does something like that _just_ _happen_?!" He sighed. "I won't nag you about it anymore. You still need your rest. How long is Madam Pomfrey keeping you here?"

"I don't know. She's not buying my abrupt recovery; she's been running tests through me all morning. She knows we're hiding something."

"I know, but she can't use veritaserum on us, so no worries there."

"Doesn't mean she doesn't want to…" she paused for a moment and hesitated before asking, "How is Ron?"

"I haven't told him, if that's what you're wondering. He is coming to visit later, he was retained by Snape" Harry answered giving her a reproachful and almost accusatory look.

Hermione lowered her head. She had never thought that she'd be scolded by Harry of all people, and she didn't think Ron would be even nearly as understanding as Harry was being.

"I'm sorry" She mumbled.

Harry put his hand on top of hers and squeezed it; "It's ok, I understand" he stood up and leant down to give her a peck on the head. "I'm glad to have you back" he said as he raised himself to leave.

She smiled at him "Are you heading to classes now? Would you mind bringing my Arithmancy project later tonight? It's dreadfully boring here."

"You mean that awful stack of books next to your bed? That's almost a library! You want me to carry all of that with me…"

"Ron could help you. I actually need some books from the library as well, now that you mention it…"

He groaned, "Anything else, your highness?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure I've been slacking back on our homework. Would you mind asking the professors for my assignments?"

"I was speaking figuratively, Mione!"

"But you asked!" She gave him an innocent look.

He tried to flee the room before she could ask him to do anything else for her.

"Harry!" he looked back from the door exasperated.

"What now?"

"Thank you," she paused, and to make sure her meaning was clear she added "For everything."

"Just remember that if he ever hurts you, I'll skin him alive." he said before closing the door.

*****

"I'm not going to break, Draco" she said between panted breaths. Hermione had been able to finally get a few moments alone with Draco by dragging him to their love nest, the Shrieking Shack.

Yes, their love nest; since they had 'adopted' the place, Draco had improved it, making it look like a small mansion instead of the creepy rundown place Hermione remembered from her third year. He'd brought a _huge _bed with fine silky sheets into the room they used, and some of their clothes were kept in a wardrobe next to her laptop for when they decided to sleep there. The walls were now a soft cream colour. It was still pretty bare, but it was more than enough to cover their needs, at least for now.

"So you say," he responded before capturing her lips in an agonizingly slow maddening kiss. He was giving her the most delicates of touches, driving her into a frenzy state.

She knew he was holding back and it had been _days_ since she was out of the infirmary, not counting the days she'd spent there, dreaming and daydreaming of him and his touches. She'd spent a week there! When was he going to understand that she was more than ready to be shagged? She wanted him; wanted him hard against the wall, sprawled in the floor, tied up to their bed. Shite, she was even ready to have him in Snape's classroom a few days ago…

She had tricked him there one night and made sure she touched all his sensitive spots before trying out her most recent research. She even whispered the details of how she was going to suck him off. He had almost choked when he heard her, and she'd _felt_ his growing arousal in between their clothes. But he had stood his ground; pushed her on arm's length, and given her the most pathetic of excuses before leaving her in the classroom all by herself. Disappointed and _utterly_ frustrated, not to mention feeling slightly hurt and rejected.

After giving it an awful lot of thought and consideration, Hermione had come to the conclusion that he was still worried about her, and _that_'s what had kept him alive all this time. But she wasn't going to let him treat her like a porcelain doll for any longer!

She was going to smack some sense into him if necessary. She had waited so much for this weekend, she had dreamt and fantasized about all the things she'd do to him and all the things she wanted him to do to her; but he wasn't letting her so much as get a hold of his belt.

And he kept distracting her with those sweet kisses. _When had he learned to kiss like that?_ Like she was the most precious thing in the world, like he could breathe through her alone and was trying to absorb all of her being through her kisses; and his touches, the way he was holding her as if trying to envelope her, like if he were trying to protect her from something. He was driving her insane.

That was how she had understood that he was still worried about her, consciously or not, and he was trying to convey it through his actions.

Or so she thought. She couldn't understand him, Draco wasn't caring, he wasn't sweet or loving, and they weren't even in a relationship! Not one that she could define as such, since they were only supposed to be together for sex and now they didn't even have that, it was scaring her more than he could tell.

She had started caring about him more as time went on and maybe she had let herself grow fond of him more than she should have, but how could she not? She couldn't just shag someone and then forget about him the next day! His kisses and touches followed her around all day. And she had started to learn things about him; the things he liked, his preferences on food, his hobbies, his opinions about life; what he expected from his future. Merlin, she had even started to enjoy his twisted sense of humour!

But she hadn't deluded herself. She knew what she was to him. The obnoxious git was taken with her, but that didn't mean she could open her heart to him. Or at least she had tried not to…

She was so confused now.

And she needed him. She wanted him. She had missed him. What the heck, it sometimes seemed like years had passed since they had sex, and it was so unfair the way he was torturing her…

"I want you." she said breathily between the kisses, trying to lower her hands to his pants, only to be stopped by his hands _yet again_.

She gave an infuriating sound between the kiss, as she felt him pull her hands around his neck.

"Draco" she was whining now… what had he reduced her to? An inane wanton hussy?! _Arrgghh…_

He just continued kissing her.

"I swear Draco, if you don't bed me right now, I'm going to go and shag the first bloke that crosses my path." She huffed.

She felt him smirk in between the kisses. Ok, so maybe she just wasn't that type of girl, and maybe her insecurities still played a major part in her actions and feelings. Did he have to be so smug about it?

"I'd like to see you try it, see how many _blokes_ I'd turn into slugs before they ever crossed your path, Hermione" he whispered in her ear before he kissed her right below it.

She shrieked, "What the heck is wrong with you?! I'm fine! Can't you see that?! I've been fine for over a week now and you won't even let me touch you. Don't deny it! That inane excuse you gave me in Snape's class proved it!!"

He tried to advance on her again, but she raised a hand to stop him.

"Why don't you want me?! Or is that it?" A sudden light turned on in her head as she said it and she didn't like the way her insecurities were making her feel but in a way it made everything make sense "You just don't want me anymore and don't know how to let me down easily. Is that it?" she gave a trembling sigh holding one hand to her chest and the other at arm's length. _How stupid have I been? _"'Cause it's fine, you know. I'm not going to hold it against you." Her voice trembled slightly, she didn't like the way it sounded and she thought she needed more time to have this processed, she felt like she was suddenly thrown into a pool of ice.

She gulped and took a step back, trying to further the distance in between them, "I just want the truth, Draco." she ran her hand through her hair. "I don't want you pitying me," she was looking very anxious. "Or is it that you're afraid Harry will do something to you? 'Cause you don't have to worry about him, I'll tell him-"

"Will you stop your nonsense already? I've never been afraid of Pothead." He cut her off.

"Then it's-" but he cut her off again, closing the space between them.

"Oh, do shut up. I've been dying to have you!"

"But you've been avoiding all my advances and -"

He captured her lips, pulled her into his arms and placed her legs around his body, showing her just how much he wanted her. It eased, to some extent, the gnawing pain growing across her chest. She excelled a breath through the kiss, she knew she shouldn't have felt like that, even if he had wanted to end things, why should she be so upset over ending a relationship that she hadn't even wanted to start in the first place? It was all too twisted and she didn't want to reflect over it, not right now that she could finally feel him responding, not now that she could have him one more time. _One last time_, a voice whispered in the back of her head and she extinguished it. _Not now! _She didn't feel ready to deal with it now.

He started to carry her towards the bed and she felt like she had finally won the battle. The pain in her chest slowly disappeared as they closed the bed and she was no longer hearing that hunting voice.

He lowered her to the bed, still kissing her in that delicate and maddening way of his, melting her body and making her feel like goo. This time he started to take off her blouse and she wanted to scream with joy. She circled her arms around his neck and caressed his back pulling him closer to her.

He placed kisses along her jaw and some more on her neck; he was caressing her midriff and started nibbling on her ear making her shudder beneath him. She was entertaining her hands in his soft hair, running her fingers through the fine silky strands.

She raised her legs to his hips trying to bring him closer to her but he lowered himself to her and buried his face in her chest making it impossible. He drew her away from the bed to him to take off her blouse and then her bra. She was tugging at his clothes, trying to get them off him as quickly as possible too.

"I need to feel you." she panted and he distanced himself enough to pull his shirt off. She relished on the feel of him beneath her hands, running them over his chest, his shoulders, his back, his arms and every part of his skin she could reach, while he was still locked between her breasts, worshiping each of them, making her crazy with need. She couldn't understand how he could hold himself so; she was dying to have him inside of her…

"Draco… I need you" she said making him groan while he was licking one of her nipples, the vibrations sending tremors along each nerve ending on her body, her hips jerked upwards.

He moved down her body and after removing her knickers he buried his face under her skirt in between her legs, giving long licks along her slit. She started writhing uncontrollably, the two hands he'd kept firm on her hips started running over her body, caressing every part he could reach while he buried his tongue as deep inside her as he could reach and gave long licks. He kept burying his face back in a frantic manner, devouring every part of her, his nose stroking her clit while he did so.

She exploded. With a majestic collection of colourful flashes running across her eyelids, it was one of the best orgasms she'd had, probably due to all the pent up sexual tension she'd been carrying with her all this time.

He was still fondling her folds. Her hands were still tangled in his hair. She was so aroused by the sight of him, he was achieving the impossible; he was exciting her all over again.

She was holding him with one hand now, pulling him unbelievably closer, her other hand fisted in the covers. _Oh, I'm going to come so hard again…_

She cried out his name when she came on his face once more. But Draco never stopped lapping at her juices vigorously, making her excitement rise yet _again_! It was as if her body didn't understand he was trying to kill her. He was so good at making her body betray her.

As he pulled up his face between her legs and started nibbling and giving small bites among her thighs, she started to beg. Her brain, barely recovering from the throes of her orgasms, started to realize what he was trying to do. She had not won the battle after all.

"Draco… please…" but he kept himself buried between her thighs, taking her to ecstasy all over again…

"Draco… I want you…" she was whimpering.

"You have me." he whispered on her clit, making her body quiver in pleasure.

"No… I mean … arghh!" She was moaning uncontrollably.

"Draco, please… I want you… inside of me…" he inserted a finger in her and started rubbing her g-spot, making her come undone in a writhing mess. She just couldn't do anything anymore…

After licking her clean he raised his head and, still looking at her, he started licking at his fingers, his face flushed, his eyes full of lust, his hair a mess. He was a sight to behold. "Still want more?"

"That's not… what I meant…" she said trying to catch her voice "I want you… you inside me…" her voice was so weak, she doubted he had heard her.

"I don't know, love." he leered, "You look pretty tired to me."

She groaned and let her head fall back, resting on the bed, "I'll have you Draco Malfoy… even if it's the last thing I do!" she panted and heard his chuckle on her still sensitive vagina…

She felt him raise himself and wrap a blanket over her, whispering a spell to dry her perspiring body.

"Lie with me." she grumbled, sleepily.

"As you wish, Mione." he said and pulled her closer to him, her head and hands wrapped around his chest.

"Bastard…" she whispered before sleep overtook her.

"Sleep tight, Mione, sleep…" he responded hugging her close while playing with a lock of her hair.

*****

When Hermione awoke, he was already changing into his Quidditch uniform. Green was definitely his colour.

"You were going to leave me!" she accused.

"Hardly. I was going to leave a note; I'm already late for practice."

"I'm not forgetting what you did last night." she warned him.

"You mean giving you multiple orgasms?" he was sponsoring a cheeky grin as he avoided the pillow she threw at him.

"You know perfectly well what I mean, Malfoy!"

"Back to surnames, are we? If I'd known that giving you pleasure would irate you so much I wouldn't have come here in the first place. Although I must admit it was quite worth it…"

"You can't hide forever, Draco." she said while sitting in the bed. "You better watch your back from now on." and she raised her naked self and walked towards him, enjoying the way his eyes travelled along her body. She gave him a deep kiss and let him wrap his gloved hands on her waist as he hugged her close to him. She could feel his growing desire.

"I'll get you back when you least expect it." She said and pulled back. _Let's see how you mount your broom with that, Draco… _she thought as she went to pick her own clothes.

*

Just how she was going to get her revenge was a sudden epiphany that came to Hermione sooner than she had expected it.

"Blimey Mione, you look good today. It's almost as if that week in the infirmary was actually a week in the spa." Ron exclaimed. "See Harry? I told you, there was nothing to worry about…" Oh, how she loved Ron; he had taken her recovery so well. _If only Draco and Harry could have reacted the same way… _

"That's hardly what you said." Snorted Harry, "As if you didn't spend all your afternoons there as well…"

"Well, I was looking after you, mate; you were acting like a zombie in there. Sometimes I thought that it was _you_ that should be in the hospital wing, not Hermione."

"As if you weren't worried too, Ron"

"Thank you guys" Hermione smiled and took a sit next to them, she needed to ask for a favour.

"Harry, do you still have your invisibility cloak with you?"

"Yeah, it's in my trunk"

"Can I borrow it?" Hermione asked hopefully

"Yeah, what for?" Harry was suspicious.

"It's kind of personal. Do you mind if I take it now?"

"Not at all, just don't get caught."

"Oh, I won't" she said with a peculiar smile on her lips as she quickly rose from the table taking a piece of toast with her. She had to go to the boy's dorm to get the cloak.

She wondered if she would have to wait long for the Slytherin team to finish practice…

*

Draco entered the showers last. He had to take all the balls back and arrange the next practice with the Ravenclaw captain. He took his uniform off and put it in his locker after pulling his towel around his shoulders. He was thankful to be the last one in the showers; he would finally have the time to get himself off since Hermione's little stunt that morning…

Draco wasn't sure why he couldn't bear the thought of having her again. Maybe it was because of how he had taken her the first time. He just couldn't bring himself to try again; he was too afraid he'd lose control somehow and hurt her. It was too much already to be reminded of what he had made of her first time.

He entered the largest cubicle and turned on the showers. Putting one hand on the wall and the other around his shaft, he closed his eyes letting the water cascade over his shoulders as he stroked himself…

*

Hermione had been waiting, sitting in one of the corners of the room. She conjured one of her favourite books and charmed a silencing spell around herself. Lately all the wandless magic she'd been practicing was coming to her with ease. She guessed it was one of the effects sex had on your body and mind. She'd read somewhere that the more you indulge on the activity, the more your body blossoms and it was a good therapy against stress.

Although she didn't think that it could all be true. She had definitely started noticing more attention brought to her these past days, but none from the boy that had been the object of her attentions.

After a while the doors opened and the Slytherin team started to rush through the room, turning on the showers and filling it with steam. She placed a floating charm on her and tried to get as far away from the steam as possible, as the slytherin team entered the change rooms in a loud gush of voices; started to take their clothes off and wrap towels around themselves to enter the showers. She tried to be as polite as possible and put her head in her arms.

Of course from time to time she would have to sneak peeks to see if their obnoxious captain had arrived and then force her head down again. She hadn't thought through this part of her plan very well, and she was only human after all. _'Who would have thought Quidditch could be so good for the body too?'_

When all the team had left and she was about to give up and crawl back to her dorm, he finally entered through the door.

She stayed as still as possible and saw him take off his clothes. _Now _his_ body was a sight…_ she thought as the last slytherin exited the room.

She sneaked into the cubicle before him and watched him close the door and hang his towel there. She was behind his back when he turned the showers on and the noise allowed her to charm off her clothes while he concentrated on touching himself. She felt herself positively drooling at the sight of him pleasuring himself, with water streaming over his luscious body.

Still covered by the cloak, she kneeled in front of him, watching him stroke, eyes still closed. She had never seen him do that. She had always been available to him when he needed release. Obviously he had decided otherwise these last few days.

She felt mesmerized by the view. She pushed the cloak off her head and licked the tip of his shaft making him take a shallow breath. She placed her hands on his hips and engulfed him with her mouth before he could pull away.

She traced her tongue around the head and switched between licking and suckling, slowly, savouring the feel of him between her lips, gradually taking in the velvety skin of his shaft. He had stopped stroking so she took his hand off and travelled her tongue along his length, all the way down and up again before taking him again. She was starting to like the way he felt on her lips, it was an addictive sensation to arouse him more and more and feeling him twitch right beside her.

She had read about it, but certainly never thought that's how it would feel. She felt empowered and wanting more of him with each lap. If this is how he felt each time he did it to her, she was starting to understand how he never seemed to want to stop.

She started cupping his balls the way he liked and running her hands over his thighs and pelvis as she continued moving her head back and forth.

Hermione tried taking him deeper in her mouth.

He was still as a rock so she decided to start stroking him with her hands as well. The cloak had fallen around her shoulder blades.

She thought she could hear him whimper, but that couldn't be it, right? Draco didn't whimper. He growled, moaned and gasped with desire, and he certainly didn't just stand there when he was aroused, and she could see and taste and _feel_ just how aroused he was… _'Why isn't he doing anything?'_ She had imagined that he would take a hold of her hair and guide her, or pull her to him and take her roughly against the shower wall, or at least thrust his hips forward to her.

But his lack of reaction wouldn't stop her, she had come for him and she was going to have him. _She was dying to taste him. _

She felt him tense and make more unbearable sounds. She still couldn't understand why he was holding himself back. She could see his fists turning white at his sides, and, well there he was, grunting again, she knew he was close; it thrilled her even more, making her ministrations all the more hasty, she felt him twitch and moments later, felt his hot seed spill inside her mouth. It was so much it almost spilled out from the corner of her lips.

It was so arousing. She kept on stroking his shaft and licking him clean. When she finished him, Hermione licked her hands, trying to capture all of his drops. And when that was over, she started to plant soft kisses on his skin, making her way up to his body, nibbling through his stomach. He still tasted salty.

She was caressing his arms and goading him to move. She traced her hands down to his still strained fists and tried to lift them to her, pulling them towards her body while showering him with kisses, as if competing with the water around him. As she guided his hands towards her neck and down her shoulders to her breasts, she finally felt him release his tense demeanour and start moving them on his own, making her gasp.

*

Draco was having the wildest hallucination ever; he was watching and _feeling_ Hermione's mouth around him.

He had been fantasizing about that exact thing before it started; at first he had just felt her tongue on him. He opened his eyes to take a deep breath and then, for a second, he couldn't see his shaft and, as it slowly came into vision, so did Hermione's face, engulfing him with her mouth. It was the most breathtaking sight he had ever seen, and he had never really _seen_ her do that.

His mind was playing with him in the most agonizing way. The worst of it was that, when he opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything but her face. And the more he felt around him, the more he wouldn't see of himself. The water was shaping her body as it run, but he still couldn't see _her body_…

He could feel her tongue lapping at his shaft after moving his hand away to the side. It was the most _real _fantasy he had ever had. He didn't dare to move or try to touch her in fear it would disappear. So he kept his hands in fists, trying not to move and slowly, as if a veil was being lifted, he started to _see_ her glorious naked body.

As the figment of his imagination started to make him feel the most delicious things, he tensed all over and tried to be as quiet as he could. He didn't think he was succeeding; it was all so unbearably pleasurable. And when he couldn't hold any longer, he came in _her mouth_. He saw his feverish vision lick him clean, and then start lapping at her hands licking each of her fingers! He didn't think he could have imagined a sexier kitten than that!

He was painfully waiting for the hallucination to be over when it started to kiss him, and he could feel the butterfly kisses she was giving him. His kitten was being so sweet with them as if she was trying to sooth him.

It was making him hard again. He hadn't thought it possible, but he didn't really mind being wrong.

And his kitten was goading him to touch her, caressing the back of his hands against her skin. It felt so real. He slowly tried to open his fists and caress her skin. And he discovered that he _could._

Maybe after this was over he'd end up in St Mungus but he frankly didn't give a – oh she was kissing him now and pulling him close. The way Hermione did. He groaned. He could feel her breasts make contact with his skin, her hands circling his neck. Her hair, previously sheltered from the shower by his body, was starting to get wet and so was she…

Draco, after having resolved his epiphany about being able to touch her, started to grope her in every place he could, making his kitten give mewls of approval that were captured by his very anxious mouth.

He started showering her with kisses. His were hungry and voracious kisses, compared to the ones she had given him; he was frantic about touching her, still terrified she'd disappear any moment. He lifted her from the ground and clasped her legs around him while pressing her against the wall.

He needed to have her, all the pent up tension he'd undergone with Hermione was making him crazy. All the things she'd told him in Snape's classroom, the way she writhed beneath him the night before, her beautiful, beautiful sounds. Why couldn't she understand that he just couldn't take her, not after being the cause of so much of her pain? Maybe that was why the kitten was here. Maybe it was a way for his brain to make him finally find release. Who cared if he was going mad in the process?

He didn't care anymore. He was determined to have her. He couldn't hold himself any longer. He took everything he could from her, her breasts, her waist, her hips; he captured her moans and made his kisses deepen. She became just as frantic as he was and started begging him to enter her. And when he did, he could swear he saw her glow even more, as his kitten basked in the pleasure of having him. He thought even her hair gave light! It was probably his feeble mind, and not the kitten, that was making him see things. It had been so long… He started to thrust into her with force and felt her clutch at his shoulders and moan with pleasure. The kitten was getting wild and desperate, urging him to go faster moaning his name as she did so, just the way Hermione did.

Her hair was growing wild. She was positively shining as he could feel her walls close on him, milking his release as he came and could feel the kitten following behind. He didn't stop thrusting against her as he knew now she wouldn't last for long. She would probably start disappearing the same way she had come to him.

But she didn't and just petted his hair as he rested on her shoulder. He lowered her to the ground, both panting as he did so. She was looking at him apparently unable to voice anything after being so loud.

He smiled affectionately at her and kissed her soft lips one more time. He was about to say more when a voice interrupted him from outside.

"Hey Malfoy! Are you still there?"

Draco sighed and turned towards the voice, feeling the shower stop its flow as it usually did. He wrapped the towel around him and went for the door. He took hold of the lock and then turned one last glance towards the now empty cubicle.

He'd known she wouldn't be there any more…

He opened the door to face Goyle.

"Blimey Draco, you look as if you'd flied all the way to London and back. I thought practice was over an hour ago!"

*

Hermione had quickly collected the invisibility cloak and draped it across her naked body, hoping Draco would get rid of the intruder as soon as possible. She had felt as if he had wanted to tell her something. She couldn't understand the last look of sadness Draco had given her before exiting the cubicle, she'd find out later; something was definitely amiss…

But after the recent event, she was determined to have more of him again. After all he owed her so many nights now…

*

Draco had a very tiring day. By the time he hit his bed his nerves were on edge. He had gotten used to look for Hermione when he was like this. She used to relax him and listen to all his complains about the stupidities his house made him deal with. She would always be interested and always give out a handful of opinions that would result in endless teasing from him.

He couldn't do that anymore. Every time he approached her or even looked at her, he would get a raging hard on that would barely let him walk.

And so he kept his sulking to his bed, closed the curtains around his bed and muttered a silencing spell to start with his recently formed routine; masturbate.

He was just about to unclasp the buttons of his pants when he felt her again.

His kitten materialized before his eyes, this time wearing one of Hermione's pyjamas on her. He groaned, taking her in his arms this time with more confidence.

His kitten was startled by his action. He smirked. "You're back…"

"Says the boy who's been avoiding me all week." she said between kisses.

"Now kitten, you know I can't have Hermione again. You wouldn't be here otherwise."

"What – are you – talking about?" Hermione said interrupting his kisses.

"Draco wh-" He covered her mouth again suddenly anxious of her taste. He ripped her clothes off making her yelp in surprise.

"Merlin, I need to have you. It's been too long", he said taking a nipple inside his mouth, running his fingers through her curls and neck one hand caressing her midriff.

"But we just - this morning" Hermione said between gasps. He was biting at her and she couldn't make head or tail of what he was saying. Did he really think she wasn't Hermione? Who else would she be? And why would he let anyone polyjuiced into her body in his bed? But his talented fingers stopped any probable rage following that thought, or any thought at all in fact.

"Hush, kitten" he said and she obliged. She decided she'd let it pass; it wasn't the first time he didn't make sense during his trysts.

It was like the first time, he was wild about her, grasping, touching, nibbling and groping everything he could, telling her what to do to increase the excitement. She'd missed the way he commanded her like that.

When they were finished they were tangled among the covers of his bed. Still trying to catch their breaths he pulled her to him, and nuzzled in her curls taking in her scent.

"Don't go yet."

"…not going anywhere." she breathed.

"Good, I want you to sleep with me." Draco said, tucking her in his bed and resting on top of her. Very close to her face, he was looking at her as if studying her.

"mmm, not afraid someone will catch us in the morning?"

"Hardly, I doubt they'd get to see you any way." he said as he kissed the tip of her nose. "You'd probably disappear like this morning."

"Draco, why do you think you are imagining me?" Hermione said with a confused look on her face.

"I don't know kitten, I thought that it might be because I'm going crazy, maybe I just want to have her so much that I created you to help me bear the need."

She was looking at him with her brows furrowed. "But why can't you just have me?"

"Because kitten, I don't want to hurt her."

"But that's exactly it, Draco you've never hurt me. Not even in that alley. You couldn't bring yourself to be vile even then…"

"But I did hurt you. I sent her to the hospital wing, she almost _died_ because of me" Draco was starting to get a slightly crazy glint in his eyes… They had a different twinkle, like he knew it was all a lie, but at the same time, he was fervently wishing that it wouldn't end. He looked… _insane._

"No Draco, you saved me. If it weren't for you, I might indeed be dead or worse!"

"But kitten, it was _my_ fault she ended up there in the first place!"

Hermione was growing frustrated, it was worst than her arguement with Harry. Draco wouldn't even acknowledge her as a person; he was treating her like a delusion!

"Hush it, kitten" he smiled at her, kissing her brows. "You're not going to convince me now."

"But Draco-" _oh for all that was sacred in this world not _those_ kisses again!_

**//**//**//**//**

**A/N:** Hello there guys! I don't think long A/N work so I'll try to keep it short:

I edited almost all the story.

I NEED to hear what you think about the changes (I tried to heed to the suggestions you guys made on reviews)

I'm asking you to be blatantly honest this time and tell me if you think the extra stuff ruins it (no matter how harsh you are)

I also need to know which ones are your favourite scenes, so I can try and seek the muse that inspired them...

This time I'm begging. PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give special treats to all those who do (Meaning I'll answer individually to as many questions as I possibly can, regarding the plot twists you've seen. All you have to do is voice your opinion; tell me if you think Draco is too OOC, if you'd like a certain situation to happen, if you are slightly confused about what's going on with the characters or simply mention the scene that you liked the most)

Thank you very much for reading this.

Love

Di

**A/N:** The thing about having two betas as wonderful as mines is that they make me feel worst than some plagiarizing monster trying to take credit for work that is not mine... I've been thinking about changing my penname to Kath_and_Casey...

Well there you have it... I hope you enjoy it and let us know what you thought in a review.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 - Discoveries**

Hermione had given up trying to convince Draco that she was _not_ in fact a vision and after realising he wouldn't have her any other way she stopped trying.

He would claim that things like invisibility cloaks never worked under water, or that Hermione wasn't as strong as his kitten, or that she didn't glow the way _kitten_ did, or that Hermione struggled with wandless magic whereas to his kitten it came naturally.

She'd been so enraged by his nonsense. It would take every bit of her patience not to wring his neck during those times.

Draco would shower Hermione with loving kisses in the mornings and make mad love to his kitten at nights, he would even complain about the times his kitten didn't show, and of course, he never accepted her _excuses_ of having other errands to run; which resulted in him being more aggressive during their encounters. Not that he ever did anything that she wouldn't beg for, or that she didn't love his dominant side.

His behaviour, if possible, was even _more_ confusing; in the mornings he'd be snarky and cold towards her and he'd always have a tight expression or a smirk plastered on his face, whereas at night he'd shower her with affection and smiles; _true_ smiles. He would be true with his kitten but always hold himself back with Hermione. It drove her _insane_.

But it was also one of the reasons she stopped trying to convince him there was no kitten, in a way she feared she'd stop seeing the real Draco if he knew. It was eating at her conscience, but she didn't dare stop him just yet.

This was plaguing her mind as she walked through one of the hallways when she spotted him; he was talking with one of the Ravenclaw prefects.

"What do you want McLead?" Draco asked the girl.

"Not much, I just heard that you broke up with Parkinson and thought that you might want to give us a chance now…" She looked at him with hope shining in her eyes.

"Us? There never was an '_us'_ McLead, I believe it was a onetime thing, and not a good one at that…"

"It was my first time Draco, and you know it!"

"Whatever" he replied and started to walk away

"I can make it better now, give us a shot, you won't regret it"

"Just let it -" _go_ he was about to say, but the Ravenclaw had pressed her lips to him. Pushing him against the wall and twining her fingers on his hair; she was kissing him passionately but slowly as if trying to communicate something through the kiss.

She tried to deepen the kiss and it took too long for Hermione to bear until he finally pushed her away from him gently.

"Just let it go, Ciara" Draco said with a sad voice.

It was too much for Hermione; she knew she wasn't his first, she knew there had been others but she had always pictured them as obnoxious brainless chits that had never loved him or gotten to know him in the least, just like Parkinson. The girl in front of her was not only sweet and smart, she really liked Draco, and you could tell there was a history behind this tryst; she had reached Draco, not just Malfoy.

The way Draco had let her kiss him and not pushed her right away proved it, she wasn't another Pansy; he had openly cared for the Ravenclaw.

It was like a narrow knife sliding slowly across her heart, it went beyond jealousy and envy; they had actually been in a relationship, a real one. The brave Gryffindor hadn't been the only one that Draco had shown his true self, and she could bet that he hadn't had to hide McLead neither.

She felt her heart tighten in her chest, she couldn't move, though she wanted to get as far away from the scene as possible. The girl was about to try to kiss him again and our kitten didn't think she could bear it one more time. She started off at a mad run not really paying attention where she was going. She found herself running outside the castle, towards the Whomping Willow, through the secret passageway towards their shack. She thanked the heavens she didn't encounter anyone in her way there.

Upon her arrival she threw herself at the bed they had there, curling herself into a small ball trying to calm down. She didn't know when it happened. She'd always known she couldn't open her heart to him and still she knew deep inside she had been his for a long time now.

_How could she have allowed herself to fall for him? _She should have known better.

*

Draco had heard the sudden sound of Hermione running around the corner behind Ciara; he silently cursed the Gryffindor's timing and got rid of the girl as fast as he could. When he made sure she was gone he broke into a mad run too.

He finally found her in their shack, he could hear her soft whimpers all the way from the main room at the entrance, he followed the sound to the room they shared there; she was curled up facing the wall in front of him. He moved towards the bed and tried to take her in his arms. When he did, he became confused. _Where was Hermione?_

"Kitten?"

Her crying turned more forceful at his words so he apologised. He took her in his arms and hugged her close.

"Why are you crying?" he murmured in her ear as he cuddled her closer

"I saw you" she admitted between sniffs.

"So it was _you_ all along?"

"Draco, please don't-"

"Don't cry, Kitten. Why are you so sad?"

She stifled a cry "Why won't you believe me, Draco? I can't deal with this now" she tried to push him away but he didn't let her.

"I'm falling in love with you" she confessed

"Of course you are, Kitten; that would just make my fantasy perfect"

"I'm not a fantasy! Why won't you believe me?" she was sobbing harder now. Her desperation and anger towards his denial were getting the best of her.

Draco took a deep breath before answering in a slow pained voice: "Because Hermione won't fall for me, as much as I want her to, as much as I _love_ her now; I know she can't love me back"

"What?" She disentangled herself from his grasp. She wanted to look at him "Draco, do you- Do you love me?"

"Yes Kitten, I love you" he said looking at her and taking a hold of her cheeks. "Would you stop crying now? You look so much like her… it's heart wrenching"

"Why do you think I can't love you back, Draco?"

"Because of what I did to you" he said lowering his head and lifting her hands to his lips "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Draco said with grief in his voice.

She pulled his face up to meet his eyes. "But I do love you, Draco".

"Of course you do, Kitten" Draco answered kissing her nose in a condescending, yet loving manner, it made her want to cry again "Draco, Why do you think I'm your kitten and not Hermione?"

"Because as much as you look like her, you are different" He touched her skin "You shine, not all the time but, when you are feeling too much, like now, I'm sorry you felt threatened by McLead, I wouldn't leave you for her, not even if I have to live with an illusion of you for the rest of my life" he kissed her nose again.

"How, how do I look different, Draco"

He conjured a mirror and lifted it to her face. When his kitten looked in it she gave a shriek and put a hand on her mouth, she was horrified. She scurried away from him, trying to get away from the mirror. She had a terrified look on her face.

Draco tried to calm her "you are beautiful Kitten, you are like an angel, my angel" Draco crawled close to her.

"Draco, my hair! My face! It was glowing! What, what is happening to me?"

"Nothing, Kitten it will go away once you calm down, you are the most beautiful thing when you orgasm, you shine all over. I think one of these days you'll grow wings and leave me." Once again, the Slytherin Prince looked sad and resigned.

"I what- that's what you, you were telling the truth… - she blanched - Does, does it always happen?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Well not always, kitten. At first it just happened when I was inside you but now you shine almost all the time when you are with me, I always thought you were too easy to infuriate…" He said trying to hug her close.

"I'm sorry I scared you, I shouldn't have showed you how you look, but you are the prettiest thing I've ever seen. It didn't occur to me it would scare you" she was hugging him back; holding him for dear life.

"Draco, I need you to do something for me, I, I need you to put a calming charm on me, I don't trust my magic right now"

"Nonsense kitten, it is usually now that you are more powerful than ever, I swear I can sometimes see you float when you are coming" he chuckled.

"Draco, please" she said in an even more terrified voice…

"Ok kitten, I'll give it a try…" He retrieved his wand and casted the spell, it shined on her and made her glow even more for a moment until her skin seemed to absorb it.

"How are you feeling?"

"It didn't work" she gulped

"How do you know? You didn't notice when you shined before."

"Because I'm still scared shitless!! And the spell was supposed to calm me down..."

"Come here, It will wear off, trust me, just lay down and it will come off." He tried to reassure her, cuddling her in his arms.

"Draco, what's happening to me?" she asked quietly

"Nothing, it's alright kitten, it will wear off" he said kissing her temple.

She gathered all the courage she could master and forced herself to speak: "Draco I need you to do something for me"

"What kitten?"

"I want you to go and get Harry"

"What? Why would I do that? It's not like he'd see you."

She disentangled herself from his arms and looked at him directly in the eyes "Because I need you to believe me, I am Hermione, Draco, I'm real, I'm not a vision, not a fantasy; I'm _real_"

"Oh, not that again, we've been over that a thousand times. I thought I just proved it. Kitten, look; you love me, right? Well, how do you think is possible for her to love me. After all I did to her… think"

"But I do love you, Draco!" she yelled trying to cover a sob; she took a deep breath trying to calm herself "ok, you want me to stop right? I won't bring the subject up again, ever, if you bring him, if he doesn't see me, like you think he won't; I won't bother you about the subject ever again. I will come to you every time you wish… just… please, Draco… bring him."

*

"Malfoy, why are we walking towards the Whomping Willow?" Harry said in an irritated voice "There's no one around now, can't we talk here?"

"Not until we get there, Potter. Shut up already"

"Ferret"

"Git"

They didn't speak much more until they reached the shack; Hermione was a bundle of nerves waiting for them at the entrance, pacing madly until she saw them.

Draco came through first.

"We're here, happy now?" he said looking at her.

"Happy is not what I'd use to describe myself around you, Malfoy, you better have a good – Hermione! What happened to you?! " Harry cried as he reached the entrance too.

She felt she could pass out with relief "Oh, Harry!"

"What did you do to her, ferret?!" Harry turned to Draco who was looking at him with shock plastered on his face.

"Now do you believe me?" asked Hermione hopeful from behind.

Harry launched himself towards Draco taking him by surprise "What the fuck did you do to her Malfoy!" he said as he tried another hit at the still unmoving boy.

"Harry no!" Hermione ran to them and pushed Harry out of the way. What happened next startled them all. Harry was hurled into the opposite corner with a clear burned print of her hand where she had touched him.

Hermione crawled back, horrified at what she had done as Draco slowly recovered from his shock. Slowly realising what had happened he tried to come up to Hermione but the more he tried to the more she'd get away.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled horrified.

Harry misunderstood the scene and stood up trying to go for Malfoy again as he drew near, Hermione yelled at him to stop.

"It's ok, Hermione, just relax. I believe you ok? Let me get close" Once again, Draco tried to get closer but she only distanced further.

"Don't, get away!" she shouted.

"Don't you dare get any closer, Malfoy! It's ok, Hermione, Whatever he did, we can solve it. Dumbledore will know what to do… just calm down. We'll go to him and-"

"NO! Don't touch me Harry look at what I did to your shoulder!"

"It's ok, Mione, I know you didn't mean to…"

"But-"

"Hermione, look at me. You won't hurt me. You never have. I would be scalded up to my bits now, wouldn't I? Literally..." Draco said, taking a step closer. Harry just ignored his last comment.

"You don't know that! Look at what I did to Harry!"

Draco took the fragment of a second when she turned to Potter to close the gap between them and take her in his arms.

She yelped first but he made her look at him "You are not burning me! You won't! Calm down Hermione and it will go away…"

Harry strolled towards her and tried to take a hold of her hand only to be scalded again releasing an unexpected hiss of pain.

"Harry!" Hermione turned trying to disentangle from Draco's grasp.

"Potter get a grip, you are not helping things!"

"Harry, are you ok?" Hermione tried harder to free herself.

"Yes, Mione I'm just fine, don't worry." Harry said shooting glares at Draco.

Draco felt her body relax a bit and took the chance to take her towards the sofa "Potter's fine, I'm sure he's taken worst, he'll get over it, take a seat now, we need to work on your temper" he made her look at him until she nodded.

"Potter, take a seat. I think this is going to take a while"

Harry sat in the opposite armchair, still looking at Hermione he said "What's going on, Malfoy?"

Draco was crouched at the foot of the couch facing Hermione; his hands were stroking her arms in a soothing manner, his eyes never leaving hers, not even as he spoke.

"She's been changing for a while now; I thought I was imagining things but- She didn't know she was doing it until today. It's become more frequent now; it seems to happen each time she loses control over her emotions. I've tried calming charms but every spell I use doesn't work on her."

"For how long have you known?"

"I just realised today, I told you Potter; I thought I was imagining it"

"How thick can you be, Malfoy?! How can you let something like this happen right in front of your eyes, Malfoy! Jesus! She could still be sick from the curse! How can you let something like that just go by as a passing delusion?! She could be in danger!"

"I know, Potter" Draco sneered lowering his head.

"I'm fine, Harry"

"You don't know that. We should go to Madam Pomfrey, she should have a look at you"

"And we will, once she calms down enough. We can't let anyone see her like this"

Hermione lifted his face to hers again "I'll be fine, I promise"

"Don't make promises you don't know you'll be able to keep, Granger"

"I will" she said "It's not your fault"

He gave a bitter laugh and looked away from her.

"The hell is not" snorted Harry, earning a reproachful look from his friend.

Hermione tried again "Draco, look at me. I love you"

"But why? How? After all I've-" she put a silencing finger on his lips.

"I do, I just do" she lowered her face to kiss him. Casting her lips to his in a slow motion, she covered his neck with her hands, hugging him close, returning his maddening kisses to him.

All in front of a very aghast looking Harry, who was rubbing his temples mumbling something along the lines of "didn't need to see that..."

*

"What are you three dong here so late? What happened to your shoulder Potter?" asked Madam Pomfrey as she let them inside the infirmary room.

"It's Hermione; she might be suffering some after-effect of the curse. We don't know what's going on"

"Miss Granger? Could you elaborate in your symptoms, I remember having you here for a week after your _miraculous _recovery just to rule out any false alarm…"

"Well, I don't know. It's just that, I've been experiencing some kind of, change, I don't really know how to control it, _I_ was the one that did that to Harry. I just touched him, I didn't mean to, and suddenly he was flattened against a wall, I don't know what's happening to me but I, I'd feel better if you checked on him first, please" she said it all really fast earning a groan from the two boys standing next to her.

They had to wait almost an hour until Hermione recovered her natural traits. Once calmed she was able to identify the exhaustion that took over her body. She had always blamed it on post coital bliss. Feeling so drained that all she wanted was to sleep…

"Very well, lie down, both of you, and I don't want to hear any complains, Potter!"

They took a bed each, while Madam Pomfrey was running spells through Hermione that apparently didn't show any strange sign at all, and applied some salves to Harry's arm letting some bandages envelope his injuries. It doesn't seem to be anything wrong with you Miss Granger, although I'd like to see you again tomorrow Mr. Potter I'd like to check on those burns you've got there, are you sure there wasn't any dark magic involved?" Madam Pomfrey asked suspicious…

"What?!" was the clear response from Harry and Draco.

"No, there wasn't any dark magic involved!"

"Potter's fine, it's her you should be worrying about, not the forsaken boy-who-lived, woman!"

They both yelled at the same time. Not seeing the shudder that ran through Hermione at the nurse's words…

"I believe I know how to do my job, and I just saw you two touch and _nothing_ happened, it's obvious your burn was caused by something else, Mr. Potter!"

Draco strode over to Hermione's bed and plastered his lips on hers, earning a gasp from her that turned slowly into a low moan from her lips as she reached out to him.

He didn't stop until he heard the appalled gasp from the nurse and the exasperated groan from Potter.

"We need to inform Dumbledore" said Madam Pomfrey in shock, not taking her eyes away from the shining girl in front of her, who didn't seem to be able to meet her eyes.

She recovered after a few seconds and fled the room ordering them to stay put until she came back.

"I can't believe you did that!" Hermione said appalled. Her cheeks still flushed.

"An hour thrown down the bin, Malfoy!"

"You could have warned me, Draco!"

Malfoy's plastered smirk didn't leave his face as he looked out the window waiting for the nurse to come back, a million thoughts running through his head and none of them reflecting the smirk he portrayed.

*

"What are the results Severus?" said Dumbledore while Madam Pomfrey still tended to Harry's new injury, she'd arrived at the infirmary with Professor Dumbledore and Snape in tow, the latter had run some spells and tried administering some potions to the girl, after a while he deliberately brushed Hermione's hand against Potter's chest causing him another burn. Then he took some samples of the wound and ran some more spells over both students.

Madam Pomfrey was still glaring at Snape as he answered.

"So far she's just a danger to Potter which validates your suspicions on the cause, but none of the spells or potions I administered are having any effect on her. They all reflect that nothing has happened, which I think means they just flow through her and are not really _working_ on her. I'll try to run some more tests when she goes back to her normal state but I cannot promise anything."

"I did that already Severus the results are the same…"

"But you didn't administer any potions" Snape said through his teeth.

Dumbledore ignored them; he approached the girl, who was looking at Harry as if she'd just killed him.

"Is there anything you want to share with us, Miss Granger?"

Hermione lowered her gaze "No Professor, I don't know how it happened. I should have realised something was going on sooner, but I was too distracted, I..." Dumbledore touched her shoulder in a supporting manner

"It's ok, Miss Granger, it's not your fault, you are as much a victim as is Harry here, and we don't want you thinking otherwise. That's exactly what whoever caused this intended" That seemed to fuel some determination into Hermione, who nodded her head in understanding.

"Thank you Professor"

Draco was standing in a corner watching the procedures in silence, he was about to leave the room when Dumbledore and Snape approached him.

"Could we have a word with you in private, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco assented and followed them through, not turning to look at the girl whose gaze didn't leave him as he exited the infirmary.

*

"We understand you were involved in Miss Granger's recovery, Mr. Malfoy…"

Draco didn't answer just stared at Dumbledore, waiting for him to continue.

"You understand that we need to know how and what means you used to procure said recovery" Dumbledore said looking at him from the rim of his spectacles.

Snape chose that moment to intervene "I know you care about the girl, Draco, I don't know how it came to happen but it's obvious enough to anyone who looks at you, I've caught all the glances you throw her way and I don't doubt not only the downfall but also the swift upheaval of your grades have to do with her as well. It might not appear so to your peers but it has become blatant enough for those who care about you".

"I was tricked, wasn't I?" Draco answered in an even voice.

"We don't know that yet, but you've certainly lowered your defences when it comes to her."

"It's in my room, I saved some of the antidote there, I'll go retrieve it as soon as I leave."

"Just tell me where it is Draco; I believe it will be faster that way"

"It's in my safe, you'll need this to open it" said Draco enveloping a piece of cloth on the tip of a knife and pressing it against his finger until it turned red with his blood. He handed it to Snape and saw him leave in a swift billow of robes. He turned to Dumbledore expectantly and asked:

"Is this where you offer me some kind of redemption?"

"Hardly Mr. Malfoy, I don't think we've earned an ally, I'm more afraid of having lost one" Dumbledore was looking at him with a stern look. It was then Draco realised that he knew.

"This is where I point out that you won't be able to save her from the Dark Lord, unless you cooperate with us" Dumbledore continued.

"Does my godfather know?"

"No"

"I thought so"

"I'm afraid I don't think it would change how he feels about you"

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I was too late and too far away to do so when I gained knowledge of your new task" Dumbledore said with a tight lip, he didn't miss the haunted look that plagued Draco before he finally agreed:

"Alright, what do I have to do...?"

* * *

A/N: Hello there guys! I don't think long A/N work so I'll try to keep it short:

I edited almost all the story.

I NEED to hear what you think about the changes (I tried to heed to the suggestions you guys made on reviews)

I'm asking you to be blatantly honest this time and tell me if you think the extra stuff ruins it (no matter how harsh you are)

I also need to know which ones are your favourite scenes, so I can try and seek the muse that inspired them...

This time I'm begging. PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give special treats to all those who do (Meaning I'll answer individually to as many questions as I possibly can regarding the plot twists you've seen. All you have to do is voice your opinion; tell me if you think Draco is too OOC, if you'd like a certain situation to happen, if you are slightly confused about what's going on with the characters or simply mention the scene that you liked the most)

Thank you very much for reading this.

Love

Di


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 - Ron**

"You realise, you're going to have to tell Ron soon..."

Hermione groaned at Harry's assessment and burrowed back under the covers trying to hide from the imminent disaster that loomed over her. They had stayed the night in the infirmary and she was sure Ron would be visiting them soon wondering how they had come to be there in the first place. She didn't know how long she could manage to keep her relationship with Draco a secret.

"Mione?" Harry woke her from her reverie "You're not shining again, are you? I didn't mean to upset you" and of course she now had to deal with that _glowing _predicament as well...

"No, Harry, I don't think I am" she pulled the covers from her head and turned to look at her friend asking for confirmation "Am I?"

Harry smiled warmly at her "No, you're not" his statement lifted some of the weight she was carrying on her shoulders but it also brought back memories of what she'd done to her friend the night before.

"Mione, it's not your fault" Harry said, reading the guilt behind her eyes he continued "remember what Dumbledore told you, Mione, you were the one who said we were going to face this together..."

"Harry, that was before I became a walking burning machine, to you of all people, whoever did this wanted to hurt _you_, Harry, and is using _me_ to do it. I can't let that happen, and we don't know how much of me they've changed. Harry, I _can't_ control it. What if it is mind warping as well? What if they're even using me as a spy? "

"Hermione you don't know that, what if that's exactly what they want; to tear us apart. Divide and conquer, isn't that how the saying goes? Well, we won't let them, we can't Mione; I won't lose you as well."

Hermione looked at Harry with sad eyes "Promise me you will at least try, Mione" Harry pleaded with her.

She couldn't help but nod her head "Of course I will, Harry"

It was then when Ron decided to make an appearance in the hospital wing.

"So who will I be blaming for leaving me out of the fun this time?"

"Hello Ronnikins" Harry's voice was considerably lighter as he jested with him.

"Funny, Harry but you're not blaming this on Lavender this time; it's not as if we saw each other last night. Now you two tell me; how did you end up here?"

Ron was looking expectantly at Hermione and Harry decided to take pity on his friend "It appears that Hermione is suffering some after-effect from the curse she took and was blessed with the ability to burn people" His light and playful tone earned him a glare from the brightest witch her age.

"Is that true, Mione? That's bloody brilliant! Can I see?"

"Well not so much, Ron, you see, the only person she can burn so far is me, and she can't control it either, she just starts to emit this bright light from her skin and then each time she touches me I end up with a bleeding burn"

"Oh... that explains why you look so sad, honestly Mione it's not so bad, give it some time; I'm sure you'll be able to control it, and who knows, maybe burn more people in the future..."

Hermione's indignant shriek could be heard all the way down the hall

*

"Still worried about him?"

"I haven't seen him since he left the infirmary, Harry, that's not like him, what if he's still feeling guilty?" Hermione said as they walked to their next class.

"I'll never understand this infatuation you've got with the git, but by all rights, Mione, he _should_ feel guilty"

"You don't get it, Harry. Draco is not used to feeling guilty, you should have seen him after the accident, I'd dare say he's even worse than Ron at facing his emotions; I'm terrified of what he'll do now."

"If he dares touch a hair-"

"That's just it, Harry, I'm afraid he won't!" Hermione said in an agonizing whisper...

They entered the classroom, Hermione buried in her own worrisome thoughts leaving a very horrified Harry trailing after her as their teacher closed the door behind them.

*

Yes, he was avoiding her again. It took all of Hermione's control no to enter in a state of panic for losing him; she kept telling herself that she'd dealt with this before and that she would do so again! She just needed to corner him or maybe just find the way to get him alone again.

He'd changed the password to his dorm which he had somehow claimed for himself; how the slytherin sneaked his way through those stunts eluded her mind but she'd find out later.

It was Saturday night and she knew he had patrols tonight so she'd been waiting for him hidden under Harry's cloak outside the dungeons. He had to come out of there at some point, right? She was going to borrow the Marauder's map, but Ron had beaten her to it after a fight with Lavander, claiming he needed to look for her to apologise, _Or rather snog her senseless_ Hermione thought; _Git._

After what felt like hours waiting outside the Slytherin's dungeon, she finally saw him emerge and decided to follow him until they reached a more desolate hallway.

They were nearing the seventh floor when Hermione decided to act. She cleared her throat.

"I was wondering when you'd do that" So that's why it had taken so long for them to wander a deserted hallway; he _knew_.

"You've been avoiding me" she accused

"Not exactly, I just haven't been looking for you"

"That's the same thing!"

"Temper Granger, you should be more careful with it these days"

"You're not sneaking your way out of this conversation, Malfoy"

"Back to surnames are we?" he was smirking that oh so sexy smirk of his; she was going to jump him! Whether to punch him or kiss him; she hadn't decided yet.

_But not so fast_, she thought, she was going to make something good out of this. She took off the cloak and opened her knee high robe, revealing her recently acquired lingerie, which consisted of a top and briefs for the night.

"I don't think you should walk the halls with that, Granger" _was that anger in his voice?_ She thought. _ Good_

"I'll walk wherever I please, using whatever suits me and with _whomever_ I want..." she said defiantly

He strode to where she was in a couple of seconds and cornered her against the wall "you wouldn't dare..." he whispered in a menacing tone that sent shivers all through her body; she gulped, he was so deliciously close all she had to do was lift her lips to his. She licked them imagining how it would feel earning a groan from the Slytherin.

She decided to follow her whim and traced her tongue across his lips, reaching a hand towards his neck pulling him close. He was tentative at first but after reading her delicate touches and her prodding tongue as she tried to overcome her insecurities, he stopped fighting her. He took her in his arms and turned them around, resting his back against the wall he never broke the kiss but didn't deepen it either. He hugged her close tracing his hand through her midriff under her robe and top; tracing her curves in a loving manner.

"Hermione" he whispered in rapture showering her with soft kisses that travelled from her nose to her cheek, to her neck and all the way back, he kept repeating her name in reverence. Hermione was on her way to Neverland as his pacifying kisses bathed her with affection.

"I missed you" She whispered "missed your hands, your touches, _your voice,_ don'tleave me again, Draco."

Too focused on themselves they didn't hear the approaching figure that came into view holding a map on his hands and hardly believing his eyes.

*

"Hermione?!" Ron screeched, bringing them both back to reality at a crashing speed.

Shocked and still flushed; Hermione turned to face her friend "Ron?" she said in a squeaky voice almost above a whisper, as if willing it not to be true while Ron's shock was overcome by rage:

"Get your sleazy hands off her, FERRET!" he growled in a threatening voice.

Draco, of course, didn't pay attention to his threats making his hold on Hermione more possessive and secure, plastering a smug look about it. Ron's next wave of rage had Draco sprawled ten feet away from a screaming Hermione along the hallway.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Weasley!" Draco's voice was a furious roar, watching his kitten lift from the wall where she had been flattened after the impact.

She hurriedly closed her robes, as she placed herself in the line of Ron's target and his wand. Not that Ron had noticed much of her inner attires if his intense look of hatred towards Draco was any indication. _Thank Merlin_, she was already embarrassed enough.

"Ron, wait! I can explain" she tried to appease him in vain. He was so blinded by his wrath that he didn't notice the slight change in appearance his friend had taken. He was about to aim another hex when Hermione yelled an _Expelliarmus_, making his wand fly along the hallway. By now Draco had already gotten to his feet and was walking forwards, he knew the riot was bound to gather people to the hall and was worried about Hermione being seen in her present _glowing _state.

Ron was about to launch himself towards Draco when he was stopped by a suddenly stronger than usual Hermione that pulled him to the ground, it was then he noticed her appearance and looked at her dismayed.

His shocked intake of breath was accompanied by a group of sudden collective gasps from people that had turned the corner behind Draco. The Slytherin swore upon looking back at a very stunned Lavander Brown followed by the Patil twins and a group of Hufflepuffs he didn't know...

"What is it with you tonight?! Shouldn't you all be in your dorms it's almost an hour past curfew!"

"We heard the riot, and came out to help" recovered one of the twins. _Yeah right! And run all the way from your towers to do so... _Thought Draco, he could bet his fortune only the Slytherins had been smart enough to keep themselves hidden, and fumed at the knowledge.

"That is in no way an excuse to be outside your dorms at this hour! 20 points from each house! And get out of my sight now before I make it a detention with Filch!"

"What!"

"No!"

"You can't do that!"

"What's wrong with Hermione?!"

"What have you done to her?!"

"RON!"

Were the horrified shrieks that followed his statement. _Gryffindors_ Draco stressed the word in his head; _at least Hufflepuffs are smart enough to seek self preservation._

*

And so it was that Hermione became to be known as the shining girl; after the incident Hermione had to explain to Lavander and Parvati the side effects of the curse she had taken on the Hogsmeade visit, and how her intent to stop a stupid quarrel between Ron and Malfoy had provoked another outburst.

Thankfully they had bought it but they had also taken upon themselves to spread and later on _clarify_ the already scattered rumour of how the shining girl and the boy who lived could no longer touch each other due to an oddly performed contraception charm.

Hermione didn't know what was worst, having to deal with the stupid rumours or focusing on her temper and the changes it caused. At least she no longer had to deal with people discovering, since after that, the incidents in which she was seen glowing became a common occurrence and more and more Harry and Hermione would find themselves in the infirmary; hence the stupid rumour.

Dealing with Ron had proved harder than anything; even with the help of Harry, who had proved a more loyal friend than she could ever hope for, Ron refused to speak to her even though he had stayed with her for Christmas holidays.

She knew it was all due to Harry who had convinced him of protecting her from the threatening horror that was Draco Malfoy.

*

"I can't believe you are still with that git"

"Ron it's been weeks, when do you plan on dropping the subject?!"

"I won't ever get used to you two being together, it's disgusting! I wouldn't rule it out as another side effect of the curse. I mean; who knows? Snape is not telling us anything, it's bad enough you were not allowed to leave Hogwarts for Christmas"

"Ron, will you stop it already? I was with him before the accident happened."

"And that doesn't mean he's not guilty! This entire thing about you not being able to touch Harry is too suspicious and it's become more frequent as well. He probably planned it that way!"

Hermione was looking drained "Ron please, Draco doesn't have anything to do with that, look; it's hard enough trying to get him out of his guilt trip, I don't want to deal with you cementing the idea in his head"

"Guilty my ass, I'm not buying this act of him caring about you, all those years of hatred don't go away that easily, Mione, at least you can admit that!"

"It wasn't easy, Ronald! Now get over it and don't talk to me until you do!" and she stormed from the common room leaving a very lonely Ron by himself. It didn't help that due to Christmas there was hardly anyone in the school anymore. The couple hardly needed to hide nowadays, which had led to Ron stumbling with them during a heated snogging session that morning.

Ron was regretting not accepting his mother's invitation in favour of staying with the shining girl and the boy who lived, not to mention the Ferret she had now adopted for a pet.

*

The fact that Potter and Granger were now an item never ceased to infuriate Draco but it had made his relationship with Hermione easier to conceal.

He now spent long nights in their shack trying to teach her how to keep her emotions in check. To Hermione's horror, they'd discovered that her transformation now stretched beyond skin pigmentation. It now affected her magic and form as well.

It had happened during a heated argument about muggles, when in a blur of movements and light Hermione's arms had grown long silver blades protruding out of the sides of her forearms and two conjured muggle guns had appeared in her hands. Upon realising what she'd done the shock had changed her back in a matter of seconds without leaving a trace of a scar on her skin but Draco had gone frantic looking if she was injured or if it had hurt at all while Hermione had grown white with fear admitting that she'd barely felt a thing.

That night Draco didn't sleep at all.

*****

"You are jealous" Draco stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Hermione pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest trying to get away from him. "Whatever would make you think that?"

"You shine all up each time McLead talks to me; you need to control your emotions better than that, you're practically an open book"

"You think I don't know that! I'm not that easy to read!" Hermione snapped

"Look, I don't care about her; I didn't even like that she stayed during Christmas but there was nothing I could do. And I love that I can read you like that but you need to be more careful!"

"Just quit it, ok" she pulled his cloak closer to cover her body as she tried to stand up

"What are you running from?"

"I'm not running from anything; just leave it alone, you're imagining things" She was avoiding his face trying to pick her clothes from the floor.

"Are all Gryffindor's lying abilities this lame?!" Draco asked as he took a hold of her arm and pulled her to look at him "are you going to tell me what's bothering you now?" she gave him an irritated sound as response, lowering her face to his chest and uttered a barely audible 'no' in reply.

"It's because of what you saw in the hallway back then, isn't it?" she groaned in annoyance at his guess.

"The way you speak in your sleep, I'm amazed no one has found about us yet" he chuckled "I think it's time we talk about it, you're always avoiding the subject"

"I need to know what happened between you two"

"I don't think that's going to help things"

"It's just that, I've always known that you had other girls before me, I mean, you were with Pansy when this whole thing started. Gosh, even Pansy had a real relationship with you- don't interrupt me! It's hard enough to admit this as it is- but Ciara is different, I can tell, she wasn't just some twit that stumbled with your bed, she cared about you, and she cared enough to give herself to you, Draco. She actually got to know _you_, the real you. I need to know. It's kind of closure for me, you have no idea how inadequate she makes me feel"

Her words had opened a wound that had never really closed inside him, "It's not the way you think. I know I hurt you that night, Hermione; I can't express how sorry I am – he took a deep breath – it was actually worst with her even though I took her willingly I didn't know what I was doing and I think I hurt her quite a lot. I was new to the whole sex thing back then…"

Hermione couldn't fathom the idea of Draco being new to sex but remained quiet throughout all of his speech

"I did stumble with her during a party at my parent's house. And she, knowing the real me as you said, it's not true, I don't think anyone's gotten as close to that as you. She just has an idea of who I am. She visited my house since we were little; she used to idolize me, which is the reason why we ended up having sex that night. I didn't know she was a virgin. I didn't know what I was doing, period. The next morning, when it dawned on me I had taken her virginity, and the way I did it, I apologized, but she told me not to worry because it was her decision and that she'd always wanted it to be me. I didn't know how to respond to that so I just left.

"I left her in that room to mend things on her own, all alone in _my_ house. I think I've carried the guilt ever since, but I didn't know what else to do. You once said it might be good that I can hide my emotions so well but I never thought it did her much good. I still don't know why she wants to be with me at all"

A long pause followed before Hermione finally said; "She needs closure too".

"She's not getting any kind of closure from me" Draco reassured her

"I thought that you'd been in a relationship with her." Hermione said, still immersed in her own thoughts.

"No, we weren't, I hardly spoke to her after that"

"Tell me again" she said, pulling her face up and looking at him with glowing eyes.

Noticing her much lighter tone, Draco wrapped his arms around her and gave her a light squeeze "Tell you what, Bookworm?" he asked wearing that cunning smile that was so unique of him.

"That you love me, Ferret"

He pushed her back to the mattress and bathed her with kisses and soft bites that tickled her rendering her helpless.

She was laughing her guts out and getting short of breath but didn't give up "I need to hear it"

He raised himself to look at her while he said "I love you! And I wouldn't leave you for a harem of Ciaras, my Kitten" earning a smile from her lips that he kissed away too.

"I can't imagine you being anything but the sex expert you are" she said breaking the kiss and earning a chuckle from the tickling master.

"Most of the things I know, I learned from you, or rather with you, my little bookworm, I've never met someone who puts more passion into knowledge than you" he gave her a small kiss on the lips "Are you ok with it now, minx?"

"I'm satisfied with my knowledge, thank you – she smiled at him - I can't believe you learned with me, I mean; you have to be naturally skilled when it comes to sex then"

"Says the pot to the kettle, I still can't believe that shower was your first blowjob, you nearly killed me" Draco said in much serious tone.

"I can't believe you didn't figure it out right away…"

"I told you, invisibility cloaks don't work in water; I ruined two of them that way, give it to Potter to have a special one"

"I'm still not so sure about that, I looked it up and every text I found stated the same thing…"

"That reminds me, you never told me how you got in there…"

"I just sneaked into the room and waited for you to come" she shrugged.

"WHAT?! Hermione please tell me that you weren't there when the bunch of idiots were taking showers!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 – Hunts **

And so two months passed with the couple spending their nights in the shack. It became imperative for Draco to teach Hermione how to control her temper; first he made sure she discovered exactly when the changes occurred and what kind of emotions paved the way for them. With time they discovered that her senses too seemed to enhance along with her changes.

Before she learned to avoid her transformation, her senses heightened to the point where she could feel the warmth of Draco's body or hear his heart beating; at times she even heard whispers coming from the village outside the shack and she could see with striking clarity inside rooms that Draco claimed were pitching dark. What she feared the most was that she could sense the scent of people at great distance, there was one scent in particular that reeked and filled her with an unfathomable desire to maim and kill; _Harry's_.

She hated those sessions the most. Her hunger for Harry's blood made her able to destroy great pieces of furniture in the shack in a matter of seconds.

Even though Draco jested about Harry causing such appalling reactions, it worried him too. It didn't take him long to figure out what they had done to her and understand the reasons behind Dumbledore's scheme on his task, even though he hated them both for using her like this.

Her wandless magic became instinctive during her changes, and she could conjure all kinds of weapons from muggle to magic, and sometimes even a mixture of both.

When Hermione managed to prevent the changes, Draco made sure she spent the rest of her time learning more about her powers. The Slytherin Prince would make her look for him in magically darkened rooms, or recognise the scent of different herbs and poisons, all of it without starting to glow.

At first she was sceptical. However, the fact that she had burned Harry on a couple of occasions when she wasn't glowing convinced Draco that her powers were not all related to her glow, but were different symptoms altogether. He convinced her that she'd have to learn to control them too if she didn't want to hurt scar-face again.

Not hurting Harry again was a strong motivation. So strong that Hermione learned how to activate her powers without turning into a "human candle"; a term Draco had come up with when she accidentally cheated while she was looking for him during a task.

According to Draco's theory, the way that her powers were enhancing she wouldn't need to transform for her powers to operate on their own and she should learn to know them before that happened.

Once again, it was the thought alone of not being able to touch Harry without harming him that kept her rooted to the spot for hours trying to stir up her wandless magic, until she learned to first move and then conjure things at will.

After a month they took their work to the battlefield; or more specifically, the forbidden forest. They went on a hunting mission that, according to Draco, would make sure she was able to practice everything she'd learned in an environment that offered real pressure, that was as close to a real battle scene as possible.

As part of the element of surprise, Draco conveniently forgot to tell her one _big_ detail. To add to the excitement, he was going to be the bait.

Needless to say she failed miserably.

When they located a blood sucking creature inside a cave and she saw him cut his wrist to later run towards the cave throwing his wand back at her, she couldn't help her reaction.

Or her transformation.

She ran behind him and as she saw the creature take a leap towards Draco, she willed a hundred knives appear of thin air and throw themselves towards the creature, stabbing it against the wall and slicing it into an unrecognizable state.

The terrible scene was mercifully blocked by Draco's body, who hadn't expected such a vicious reaction from his Kitten.

Nonetheless, he spent no time in taking her away from the cave before she could see what she'd done and ordered her to stay put until she gathered some control over herself. He took this time to recover his wand and vanish the rests of the creature.

He would never mention the small cubs he'd found inside or what he'd done to them.

*

It took them a month until Hermione learned some control in the field. And although she'd pleaded with him many times not to repeat a similar stunt, he never stopped playing the bait during their hunts.

It did not go unnoticed how her stamina, after entire nights of practice, didn't seem to faze her. Unlike Draco; who started to miss some classes to recover some sleep. This, of course, caused many fights between the pair but after witnessing Draco doze off throughout three entire classes, she stopped forcing him to come to lessons.

On more than one occasion, she tried to go hunt by herself, discovering that she was pretty good controlling herself during those moments. Until Draco appeared out of nowhere, playing the bait again, jumping of a tree or simply scaring her to death and causing her powers to activate and hurt him; most of these times he made her frantic with dread as she heard, smelled and saw his figure approaching the ground at a frightening speed.

After those stunts she grew more anxious with everything that concerned brooms, especially when he was involved in it.

Draco would relish the fact that she could never get hurt while she'd be beside herself each time he was injured. It was during one of these days that Hermione was healing him, that she noticed him staring at her. He was lying on the bed in their shack, with a pensive open look on his face that was completely unusual for him.

"Draco – she asked hesitantly – are you ok?"

"Better than ever." he said, wearing the same dazed look that didn't appease her at all. He smirked, pulling her to him to kiss her thoroughly, flinching slightly when he felt the pressure on his injured chest. Hermione glared at him in return. Which to no one's surprise, made him chuckle even more.

"You are the best thing that happened to me" he stated while Hermione, still looking at his wound, informed him she didn't see how she could be anything close to that. It was as if they were worlds apart, each in their own cloud.

"You should know that I always kept my wand ready to cushion the fall." he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, while she grew infuriated with him.

"How was I supposed to know that? I don't even see you before I feel you. You don't know what it's like to suddenly sense you like that, Draco!" she yelled at him while he answered in that ever peaceful tone that unnerved her to no end.

"The funny thing is, I don't think I ever needed one." he smiled at her, stating his most recent discovery, the one that apparently had him grinning like a bob cat in front of dessert.

"What?! Are you out of your mind?! Draco, PLEASE don't say that! I'm not that fast, what if I wasn't- what if I didn't- Gosh! I can't even say it... _Don't you dare, Malfoy!_"

"I wish I could give you that- that security. It's... amazing to have someone like you."

"Draco, are you listening to me?" Hermione said almost frantic.

"To feel loved, I guess. Yeah, that's it. I think I know now. I mean I knew before but now I can _feel_ it; it's exhilarating. Don't look so crestfallen, Kitten," he said as he tried to hug her close, "I wish I could show you how it feels..."

"I wish I could make you just as certain." he said as he kissed her thoroughly, "I missed you so much, Kitten" he said as he switched positions on the bed.

"Draco, wait, you can't do this. Please, promise me you won't ever jump without your wand. It's worse than going back to stage one, I- I don't think I could handle that. Please Draco, promise..." she pleaded, making sure he looked at her this time and trying to convey everything she felt to him on that look.

"But- ...you- ...I- Fine, Kitten. I won't ever jump without a wand" he complied, not really doubting his recent discovery. He just wanted to appease her and both knew that was the sole reason.

He kissed her again, this time searching her mouth in a way he could entice her. He wanted her to stop fretting about their conversation, wanted to have her. If only he could at least show her this way just how much he cared...

"Draco, no, wait- I don't think we're ready. I don't want to hurt you..."

"You would never hurt me." Draco answered between love bites.

"Draco, I'm about to change. I'm _not_ ready."

"We're not in a session, Kitten. You don't have to stop yourself here." he said as he nibbled her earlobe.

"But I-" Hermione's protests were cut short by his two hands cradling her face and two deep gray eyes looking at her.

"Hermione, please, don't hold yourself back with me. You have to control yourself outside. Please don't ever do it here, not when you are with me."

*

And so, by mid February, both found themselves laid in their room in the Shrieking Shack after another heated session of passionate love.

"I miss the nights we had in your dorm." Hermione confided in him.

"Oh no, no you won't! How or why you decided to sneak into my room all those nights is still a mystery to me. Have you any idea what would've happened to you if someone caught you?"

"Well you wouldn't have me any other way. And as I recall it, you even complained the times I didn't come to you. Or when I was late..."

"Don't remind me..." he grumbled. "And you're missing the entire point."

She giggled and started to plant small kisses along his jaw.

"Anyway, I do miss it. Honestly, Draco, what happened to your sense of adventure? Wasn't it thrilling to do it just a few feet away from sleeping eyes?"

He switched them around, getting on top and far away from her distracting hands, "Promise me you won't try to get in there again."

"Don't you think you are being a bit paranoid, Draco? Ok, so let's imagine they caught me, what could they do? You'd probably take their memories away, knowing how over protective you are. I don't think your possessive ass would be able to handle anyone else seeing me bare."

Draco looked aggrieved. Keeping a firm hold on her wrists above her head, he lowered his head to her forehead,

"You're so naive, sometimes Hermione. I was never worried of them getting a sight of you nude, because, as you quote it, my possessive ass would never let it happen. And I wouldn't need a memory charm for that, Kitten." his smirk disappeared then, "It's the fact that a Slytherin mind doesn't work like yours. They wouldn't just walk away concealed to wet their dreams with the memory of you; they'd use the information to their advantage. They already know too much about you Hermione; they're just biding their time." he stopped to gather his wits, "I need your word that you won't do something as stupid as give them the chance to get the upper hand."

She listened intently throughout all his speech from the irate growl to his worried phrases and nodded, not because she believed the Slytherins to be a real threatening force, but because she'd accept to live on water alone if it took that haunted look from his eyes.

"Ok" she whispered, and Draco let out a heavy sigh, proceeding to let her hands delve in his hair while he held her close and burrowed his head in the crook of her shoulder, taking in deep breaths of her scent to calm down.

Hermione started to plant small kisses on his skin, trying to see if she could arise any pleasant emotion in him. The Slytherin smirked on her shoulder, chuckling at her. "Quit it Kitten, you're not pulling it off this time!"

"Says who?"

"Says the bloke with the wand you want to stick up – outch!"

"Gosh, Draco, you can be so rude sometimes!"

"...Since when does that means you can bite me?"

"Oh, I plan to do more than biting" Hermione said attacking his mouth passionately.

Draco smiled through the kiss before responding to it. He _had_ missed that side of her. He wrapped his hands around her waist feeling the soft skin while she kept her assault on his mouth. She had her hands on his neck and was pulling him to her forcefully tangling her hands in his hair.

He kept his ministrations soft and tender. They seemed to hold some kind of self control that Hermione wanted to break so she prodded him to lie on his back with her on top and proceeded to kiss her way down. First his soft chest, caressing every part of him she could reach, feeling his muscles clench under her touch, her kisses travelled south and she felt his erection on her midriff, she let it coat her skin with his moisture as she kept moving down his body. She felt his hands trying to stop her and pull her up for a kiss but she stopped them midway and pulled them to his sides as if commanding them to stay there.

The tip of his shaft encountered the skin of her breasts making them both hiss at the contact. She took her hand down to touch him with one of her fingers, spreading his precum from the head to the base of his erection with that sole finger in a slow motion.

She took a firm hold of him and stroked him up and down once before prodding his shaft to her breasts again, enjoying how the soft skin felt caressing the sensitive parts under her breasts and pulling it around each in circles that grew smaller each time until they brushed her nipples.

Draco had his fists tangled on the blankets around him as he watched how his kitten was playing with him. It took all of his will not to pounce on her and devour her.

She pulled her head up from his kisses and started to look at him as she buried his shaft in the valley between her breasts surrounding him with them as she went down on his body, pulling his foreskin back. She felt his tip go from her breasts up to her neck and the base of her jaw before she lowered even more to engulf him in her mouth.

Every inch of his body twitched under her actions and he was being loud about everything he planned to do to her when she finished.

As she continued her lapping motions trying to take every part of him in. She travelled her hands over his thighs and pelvis and then cradled his balls between them, all the while feeling him twitch under her.

The liquid between her thighs seemed to increase and she decided her need for him deep inside her was greater so she lifted herself and located his shaft between her thighs as she lowered herself down making circles with her pelvis. When they were finally joined together they both groaned in pleasure.

Draco brought her lips to his at a crashing speed, devouring them as he tasted each crevice in her mouth with full force. His thrusts became just as erratic making her grow mad with need as she came close to her breaking point.

It was no wonder they didn't last much after that. But when they both came Draco started lapping at her from head to toe. He kissed every part of her body as he cradled her, not enticing her more but just adoring her body in a loving manner. Hermione was too exhausted to voice how much she returned the feeling. She just moaned her approval before sleep enveloped her. Draco continued even after that until he too fell asleep resting on her midriff.

*

Incredibly it was Draco who woke up first the next morning. He remained looking at her for a long time after brushing an unruly curl away from her face. She was already too strong and they were both nearing the end of her training as he was instructed.

He'd told her they needed to know of how much she was really capable of and insisted that to fully control her change she'd need to evoke the change as well.

They had already started to practice; it was easy for her to transform but the more time she stayed glowing, the more her senses would make her react in a destructive way. Her implacable thirst for Harry would enhance into an unbearable state and it often took great self control to go back to her normal state after that.

That was what worried Draco the most since he knew how the knowledge of having done to Potter what she did to the blood-sucking bugbear would destroy her.

They didn't talk about it but both understood how important it was for her to learn to control herself during her transformation.

Draco hated that the old fool was using her like this, but he knew there was no other way to help her; he needed to collaborate with him. Nevertheless he knew where his loyalties lay. And it wasn't with their headmaster.

*

After three weeks of practice, they had both progressed a lot. Hermione had finally started to separate the glowing from the burning effect and they no longer needed to intern deep into the forest for Hermione to start with the sessions; they would do it from the Shrieking Shack and fall asleep right away. During these sessions unlike the rest of them, he wouldn't end up as spent and in most of the cases he'd be the one to get them ready for classes.

He'd make sure she had all her books ready, drag her to the showers where he enjoyed bathing her while she rested on the bathtub and then walked her slumbered body to Hogwarts grounds with the invisibility cloak, where he'd leave her. He'd give her a boost in the way of a passionate kiss or a couple of enticing words. And, usually, a reminder of her next class and the time would suffice to make her hurry up towards breakfast too.

One of these particular mornings when he was about to wake her up he noticed her already gone; after a short search through the house, a glowing light under the bathroom doors gave her away. He found her puking her guts out and retching in pain, soon she was clutching her stomach and coiling in pain as if she'd been hit with the cruciatus; her perspiring body reminded him of the time when he had administered the counter-spell that was supposed to cure her. His stomach tightened with dread as he saw her puke blood over the sink and part of her clothes. He closed the distance between them in a second and was able to catch her fainting body before she hit the floor.

Her trembling body was changing back and forth in a matter of seconds making her look like a blinking shining ball that was draining her feverish body of any colour.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 – Raw Magic**

Draco wasted no time in taking Hermione to the infirmary. He wrapped the invisibility cloak around her body and mounted his broom with her on his arms.

When he arrived at the infirmary Madam Pomfrey told him to lay her on one of the beds and to go fetch Professor Snape. He begrudgingly went; not wanting to leave Hermione's side, when he arrived at Snape's office, his mentor ordered him to stay there, claiming he shouldn't be seen in the infirmary and that he'd bring news as fast as he could.

Draco wanted to say something about what he thought of staying in the office but he bit his tongue; he didn't want to delay his professor anymore than necessary so he ended up letting the man go without saying a word.

*

After the longest hour Draco had ever endured Snape reappeared with a tight expression on his face that unnerved Draco to no end.

"So, what's wrong with her?" Draco asked but nothing would have prepared him for Snape's next outburst.

"I can't believe you were that irresponsible! Of all the ways to ruin your future, Draco!"

"What are you talking about? What is wrong with her?!"

"She's with child, Draco"

"What?!" That single word mirrored the expression on his face "That's not possible! I've been using a contraception charm on myself since day one"

His godfather heaved a sigh and looked at him as if there was something that hadn't dawned on him yet "Draco," he started, slowly "what have you been telling us in your last reports?" Trying not to let his voice escalate in volume, he continued "Charms no longer don't just work on her" Snape failed to control himself as he growled his next statement "she's started to deactivate the charms that in any way concern her!" Now the man was really yelling, "Did you somehow think that contraception charms would be an exception, Foolish boy?!"

A long pause followed his statement while all the blood seemed to drain from the blond as he processed this new information.

"Are you sure?" he asked after a while but Snape's look answered his question with a cold blatant crash to planet earth.

"I need to see her" Draco stated trying to hide the gulp in his throat.

"They're still checking her; you'll probably find her asleep"

"Does she know?"

"Not yet"

"How did you find out?"

"A mixture of muggle procedures with potions"

"What does that mean?"

"I took a sample of her blood the muggle way and then proceeded to-"

"You put needles in her?!"

"What were you expecting? Magic doesn't work with her!"

"That's why you told me to stay here!" Draco growled.

"It was part of the reason, yes."

Draco stormed from the office not really knowing who he was angrier with; Snape or himself.

*

He closed the distance to the infirmary in a blur; a million thoughts crossing through his head. The time didn't register in him, all he kept thinking was that he had to see her, he had to be there when they told her; he only hoped he could do it himself. He should be the one to admit to her how utterly stupid he had been. It would, in a way, make him feel better if she found out through him.

He thought about how she would react. About what she'd want to do; although the answer to that was obvious, he knew she would have it, no matter what, and she'd probably make a good mother despite it all. But what would she do with him, was she going to throw him out of her life? Would she even let him near the baby? After he'd been so irresponsible; so incredibly and stunningly idiotic! And what was he going to do with it anyway, he'd been brought up to be _anything_ but a father; one couldn't really say he'd had a good example. And they weren't even a couple; people were bound to think it was Potter's and God Damn It All! He wasn't going to let _that_ happen! But then if he admitted it was his, she'd probably be in more danger... He groaned inwardly as he closed the doors to the infirmary.

*

But for all his thoughts in his inner monologue, he was not prepared for what he'd find out when he entered the infirmary. And he could not imagine how these past thoughts could come to be as insignificant as they would end up being.

He found her lying in one of the beds with the curtains drawn around it. Somewhere in his brain he noticed Potter and Weasley were interrogating Madam Pomfrey at the back of the room.

He took one of her hands and was stroking it lightly when he felt her give a light squeeze back, he looked at her but she hadn't opened her eyes. She was probably aware of her surroundings but too tired to stir up; he didn't prod her to it. Honestly, he didn't know what to say to her yet anyway so it was probably for the best.

A couple of minutes passed until Draco felt someone standing next to him and turned to look at the old fool they called headmaster; he should have known he would be here. He was looking grimmer than ever, probably regretting the time he gave him his task.

There was something funny about him though, something wasn't right; it wasn't regret he saw behind the old man's half moon spectacles, there was something else to his silence and it frightened him; something in the pit of his stomach told him that something wasn't right.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Draco asked.

It was sadness, he figured out; what that old cripple was feeling was sadness, and it wasn't good because however sick his plans were, regarding Hermione; Draco knew the old fool cared for her, in his own sick, twisted way.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Draco urged.

"She's having twins"

At first he didn't really understand what that meant, then the part of his brain that hadn't been working properly finally clicked together, and the fact that charms didn't work on her and that she was with twins finally registered in his brain taking him into a deeper hell yet; one in which he couldn't fathom living in.

*

Hermione's eyes fluttered open in shock; she doubted there was anything in the world that would have kept her slumber at bay better than those four words.

"She can't" she heard Draco's voice utter in agony, she had not expected him to be happy but hearing such a sadness in his voice was heart wrenching. She tried to squeeze his hand back in comfort bringing his attention to her. She saw realisation dawn on his features as he looked at her. Yes, she'd heard and she was going to keep them.

"They are dangerous, you're not having them" Draco informed her with a look of desperate horror in his face.

"What are you talking about Draco? They are fine! And they are mine; you can't just threaten their lives like that! Even if you're the father...!"

"Hermione, don't you understand? Magical twins are not normal pregnancies, they are very dangerous; you could die in the process"

"What?" She looked at him as if he'd grown another head, "Draco, you're overreacting, lots of people have twins; what about the Weasley's and the Patil's and thousands of others? They're all fine and they all have their mothers. Stop it, you are being ridiculous" She looked at the headmaster to corroborate her statement but found him looking at her with sad eyes too. _Was he really so disappointed?_

"Mr Malfoy is right, Miss Granger, all those families had to go through treatments during their pregnancy. We had long ago learned to solve that problem with potions and charms but they won't have any effect on you now, Hermione" Dumbledore ended hating to be once more the bearer of bad news.

"That's why you are not having them" Draco said in a final tone looking at Dumbledore as if daring him to say otherwise, but the headmaster wasn't even looking at him.

"You are not hurting my babies!" Hermione yelled at them lightening up and clutching at her stomach as if something was hurting her there.

"Even if that were our intention, and I assure you, it's not, there's no way for us to interfere with your pregnancy; again, nothing seems to get through you Miss Granger, try to calm down."

"There has to be a way!" Draco growled

"No!"

"But Hermione, they could kill you! Not to mention the pain you'd have to go through!"

"I don't care! They are mine, Draco, and you are not getting close to me until you understand that. God, Draco, they are your children too!"

"They are nothing to me if I don't have you! Do you hear me?" he growled at her, inches from her face before he stormed from the infirmary, leaving her in tears with two other boys staring agape from the back of the room.

Harry was the first one to recover and rush over to her while Ron stood rooted to the spot with a look of utmost horror on his face.

*

No, he wasn't going to lose her, he wasn't ready for that, he didn't think someone could _ever_ be ready for that. He wasn't used to losing what he wanted; hell, he had never lost anything at all. He was _not_ about to lose what mattered to him most. Not like that, not because of him, not in such a painful way. _No!_

He had to stop it, _Come on_, he was the heir of one of the families with more knowledge on dark magic on the globe, they had done this to her; there had to be a way to undo it and he was going to find out, no matter what.

He _had_ to.

*

Three hours later he was on his way home, he didn't even stop to make up an excuse for his departure, or call one of his drivers to pick him up. He had barely grabbed one of his brooms and a coat.

It was evening by the time Snape noticed his absence, he had been busy contacting one of Dumbledore's friends to take care of the golden girl; it was a muggle Doctor who had been on duty that day. It took him a while to get the man to accompany him to Hogwarts.

The girl had entered a state of depression, probably after finding out about her condition. He had tried to inform her that if she kept that attitude she was bound to get worse, but the thick girl ignored him and her overprotective lapdog with the scar told him to sod off.

It was fine with him, he had done everything he could and he left the muggle doctor in the infirmary, to tend to Granger, of course; the muggle had told her the same thing about her state of mind.

It all fell on deaf ears, but Snape couldn't care less, he was now walking to the headmaster's office to see if Dumbledore knew anything about the irresponsible mongrel he called godson.

He couldn't understand why it wasn't him waiting at her side like a lapdog.

*

"Hello Severus, have a seat, please"

"Don't bother, I won't take long, I just need to know if you know anything about Draco's whereabouts"

"He left Hogwarts this afternoon, soon after you left"

"What! And you let him?!"

"There was little I could do about it, Severus. He was not in his best state of mind"

"... More the reason to stop him, Dumbledore! You know very well the danger he runs outside this castle, what if his father finds out. You know the Dark Lord has lots of spies, he probably already knows about the pregnancy!"

"Calm down, Severus, Draco went home, and despite what you might think from his father, he won't hurt his only son. But yes you are right, Voldemort is indeed more informed than we'd like him to be. It was all we could do not to let him know about her training. Now please, take a seat. I'm afraid I have more bad news to tell you"

Years working for the man in front of him had taught him better so Snape begrudgingly sat down and waited for him to continue, impatience obvious on his face.

"Hermione, bears more than one child in her womb, Severus"

Snape remained quiet for a while; "You mean to tell me that she's going to die? Did Draco find out about this? How could you have let him go after that? You know how he feels about her-" but Dumbledore didn't let him finish

"There was nothing that would have stopped him, Severus, you know that"

"You shouldn't have told him, in the first place!"

"He wants to get rid of the foetuses"

"You know that's impossible! Not with the Telum Curse on her"

"It doesn't mean he won't try, Severus. You know this"

"And that's why you shouldn't have told him!" Snape told him before he stormed from the office.

*

Voldemort sat looking at the kneeling deatheater at his feet; hate and disdain evident in his eyes.

"Are you sure she can't get rid of them?"

"No, my lord, the Telum Curse won't let anything touch her"

"What are her chances of survival?"

"Not very promising my lord, no charms can be applied to still the raw magic inside her"

Voldemort cracked his knuckles as the furniture around him broke and burned making the man in front of him cower at his knees.

"Bring me the boy..."

*

Draco had arrived directly into the library and hadn't bothered getting through the door; he had merely broken one of the windows that had immediately been repaired by an elf who he'd dismissed before he could finish his bow of salute to its master.

An hour later, his father found him digging through one of the shelves in the deepest corner of the library.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Draco?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, father?" he answered, not bothering to throw a glance at him as he kept digging in the shelves.

"So first, you don't come home for Christmas, and then you think you can sneak into the manor as a common thief?"

"Where do you have it?"

"You were ordered here for Yule's break!"

"Father, stop the bullshit, where did you put the damn book" Draco stood up and walked to his father

"What happened to you? Should I assume you're not coming as one of Dumbledore's pets?"

"Father, don't play games with me now!"

"Or what, Draco?" Lucius threatened him with a cold glare and a smirk on his lips.

It was all Draco's patience could take for the evening, he didn't see it coming; he hadn't experienced it since he was kid. He felt his magic explode through him and send wave after wave of a force that destroyed every shelf in the library and sent his father flying towards the door.

Even flattened against the wall as he was, Lucius didn't seem fazed.

"I thought I taught you better than this, son, a Malfoy doesn't lose control like that"

"Tell me where the god damn book is!"

"What happened, Draco"

"For fuck's sake father, is it so hard to understand, _I Need That Book_"

"Why would you need it, you've already saved her? Or have you not?"

"You tricked me!"

"...Means to an end, Draco. It was necessary"

"Why did you do it, father?"

Draco never got an answer to his question as in that moment an explosion sent them both back into the dishevelled library, rendering them unconscious.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 – Needles**

Draco woke up in a dark cellar chained to one of the walls with a dark figure sitting in front of him; as the cloaked shape raised his head Draco recognised him as the Dark Lord and watched two red slits glaring at him from the darkness that was his face. Funny how much things can change in a couple of months, he guessed the sight of what he was seeing would be enough to make him shit his pants a few months ago, now; now it was nothing compared to what laid ahead him if he didn't discover a way of ridding Hermione of her curse.

"Tell me, Draco; are you used to stick to your tasks until you render them useless?" Voldemort said as he slashed a wound across Draco's chest with the movement of his finger, as if an invisible whip cut his skin open and made him hiss in pain.

"Do you think disobeying your Lord is the best way to go through with them, young Malfoy?" he slashed his skin again making Draco flinch in pain one more time.

"The way I remember it, my lord, it was your idea" Draco whispered, something about knowing the Dark Lord could no longer cause more pain than the one looming ahead gave him a cocky stance, too cocky perhaps...

"Assumptions, Draco, will take you nowhere..." Voldemort said as he thrashed his head against the hard wall behind Draco; "It was your father's plan from the start; I only received word of your treacherous actions, young Malfoy, very recently" Voldemort hissed before he continued; "and rest assured, that you and your father will pay for the consequences of your actions" he said throwing four needles towards Draco's extremities "but you, of course young Malfoy, You shall pay the most"

"So, we did not please our lord after all?" Draco said tilting his head to look at Voldemort in a painful but still daring way

"Don't tempt me, Draco, I could slaughter you in a matter of seconds" this only made Draco smirk more.

"oh, but of course, I have better self control than that, young man, I'll see you suffer long before you give your last breath" Voldemort threatened twisting the needles inside his arms and making them crawl like worms up his skin.

Draco looked up to him again and flinching, he whispered "So what was it, that I did that displeased My Lord so" Voldemort looked at him with fury on his eyes as he answered "You rendered my weapon useless, Malfoy" and the needles that were running through his body exploded the way a hedgehog does and started flogging his body with full force.

"Are you enjoying the way I'm starting Young Malfoy?"

"Not quite yet" Draco hissed in response as he glared Voldemort right back; he was, after all, the one responsible for Hermione's state.

Voldemort answered with a wave of the cruciatious curse thrown at Draco.

*

The elder Malfoy was thrashing in his cell, apparently close to Draco's from where he could hear his son's screams, the Dark Lord had already finished with him and had also informed him in what way exactly Draco had ruined his plans.

Of all the irresponsible things his son could do, he had to get pregnant not just any witch, but the witch the Dark Lord had chose as weapon, and not just with one baby, but with twins!

At least, he understood now why he had found him in his Library. He had begged the Dark Lord for understanding, even if he knew from start that it was a lost battle, he had begged him to spare his only son. Hope was indeed the last in the box.

Hours passed before the screams were finally silenced, but Lucius was old enough to know that didn't mean the torture was over, far from it, he feared it had barely started, so he's yells and beatings on the door just became more frantic.

*

Draco never heard any of it, in reality his cell was far away from his father's but after hearing the pleas of Lucius for his son, the Dark Lord had seen it fit that he heard the way he was tortured from his own cell, and just like his father had guessed the reason behind his silenced screams didn't mean his torture was over, far from it, he had simply lost the strength to voice his pain, or voice anything at all and it happened long after he had lost the strength or will to move.

He could still hear the Dark Lord talking, but had no interest whatsoever in answering, even if he could have, he couldn't care less if Voldemort had sacrificed three of his best and most loyal followers to procure the curse he had administered to Hermione, a part of him was happy she was finally out of his clutches, that part was largely overwhelmed by another part of him that clarified that that only meant she was going to die and that she was going to die because of him, it was precisely that part which sided with Voldemort, and told him he deserved everything he was getting, and more. This part of him was indeed thankful that he was going to die before ever having to witness her inevitable demise.

His hunted look called the attention of his torturer, and he saw him stare at his eyes as he laid sprawled on the floor while he pulled his wand out and neared it to his temple, even as he realised what he was doing, Draco was too weak to even try to stop his advances as he pulled out his last thoughts in the form of a platinum string of liquid that he then, proceeded to near his temple until it passed through his head, saw Voldemort close his eyes as he listened to his thoughts and just closed his too, in surrender.

When he opened them again it was to see the furious glare of the Dark Lord piercing him again; "Glad, are you? Of me killing you" Voldemort said slowly; "you are glad I'm torturing you to death before you ever see her die! You fancy yourself in love with the mudblood, little scum?! And you pretend to use me as the avenging angel that delivers you from earth for your sins! ME, The Dark Lord, The most Powerful Wizard of all times! You think I'll be doing you a favour! To _you_ – he stressed the word – after all you've done!"

Draco felt himself thrown into the wall, felt some ribs brake as his back burned from the suddenly flaming wall, before he was thrashed again back into the floor at the feet of his tormentor.

"Not so easy, treacherous scum, YOU WILL SEE HER DIE! You will witness the consequences of your acts before you ever return to this cell, and then, Young Malfoy, THEN, you'll be here for a long time, paying for your sins against me, before I ever set you free from this world"

The last thing he heard was how the lord cracked his knuckles before he apparated away. The next time he opened his eyes he was laying in his bed with his mother tending to his wounds.

**//**//**//**//**

**A/N:** I apologize again for the mess in the chapters from a few days ago; I was trying to update a chapter and then messed up the order of everything; I tried to fix it back then but it took me longer than I thought. Well here it is at last Chapter 13, I know it's short but Chapter 14 is on the waytoo along with a special cookie I have in mind. I hope you liked it, again sorry for such a long wait.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 – Hogwarts**

Dumbledore was running his eyes through the first paragraphs that filled the ancient book he had on his hands as if trying to solve a very difficult riddle hidden behind the lines.

"_... A long, long time ago; before Merlin and Circe, in a land of constant wars; muggles and wizards cohabited together in peace. Differences were set by territory and family rather than kind._

_It is said that during those times of war. The villagers would choose a sorcerer and sacrifice three of their most brave warriors, to bestow upon him the power of their lives combined; in exchange, the sorcerer would be forced to protect the king of the village, for whom the warriors had been sacrificed. During times of war and danger, the sorcerer senses were heightened and it was his duty to protect the king and his people with his last breath, or be punished with unbearable pain._

_This was the Telum Curse; those who were bestowed with it..."_

A sudden spark that appeared on the fire signalling the arrival of a newcomer, a familiar platinum head appearing through the flames made him close his book and leave it on top of the table; the young Malfoy had finally arrived.

*

Draco's father had made sure he received the best care after he returned home, his recovery took two weeks, in which he barely talked with his father; his mother never stopped asking questions about how his injuries had come to pass but neither his father nor he ever gave her an answer.

Draco had found out in his torturing cell that it had all been a set up; when his father said that there was only one existing copy of the curse, he meant that the book had been created as part of the scheme. The details of the curse were true, but were all the consequence of the Telum Curse delivered incompletely; the so called antidote had only sealed the curse and triggered her transformation.

The worst piece of information that cell had brought to him was that if there had been a way of ridding her of the curse or the twins, he wouldn't have ended up being tortured in the first place, the Dark Lord had tried the knowledge of all his followers, including his father, before he decided to punish him.

It was, to this point, his task, to rid "the weapon" of her spawns, and it was common knowledge among the deatheaters that his failure on this task would result in his imprisonment and imminent death – by means of torture.

He knew he didn't have to prod his father for the information or means he needed for this task, but he also knew, that if his father had any of the knowledge or means, he would already have given them to him. Draco was, after all, his only son and heir, and he'd witnessed how he had thanked the Dark Lord for freeing him, and later be crucioed because of it too.

So there wasn't much to talk about between father and son, though it didn't stop his father from visiting him daily, and it didn't stop Draco from seeing his father's silent visits as a confirmation of his failure.

On his last day at home Draco asked for a detailed description of the Telum Curse; history and consequences; only to find out they had already been packed in his trunk and were waiting for him in front of the floo.

At his arrival to Hogwarts Dumbledore asked for a pensieve of everything that had transpired; to which Draco obliged before leaving his office. Dumbledore didn't send for him after that.

*

Hermione had used this time to learn about magical twin pregnancies, she'd submerged herself in the library and hadn't come out until she had a large stack of books which she levitated to her dorm, and placed in her trunk, she made sure to put a disorienting charm on them in case anyone came too close.

She had learned that during these pregnancies magical foetuses would fight for space inside the womb, and emit small bursts of magic caused by the two new beings developing together; these magical spurts could hurt some of the organs inside the mother, it could cause anything from very low fevers to broken ribs and internal bleeding that ended up causing the mother's death, or have premature births. At least the last one was not so different from the muggle pregnancy for twins.

She had learned that in the eighteenth century Kaida Van Hurtendrag, a very well known alchemist, discovered that taking regular calming potions (exactly the kind that had never worked on her) during pregnancy would stop the spurts of magic from the foetuses from hurting her body. Before Kaida, almost all multiple pregnancies in the wizarding world ended in the death of the mother and sometimes of the babies when it occurred before delivery, which lead to lots of miscarriages and the ingrained believe that twins were a death omen.

Even after learning about the details of her pregnancy, Hermione's love for her unborn babies never wavered, for the first time since her accident in Hogsmeade, she was grateful that her body had become practically unbreakable since it meant that her babies were safe inside of her, even from their father, who she hadn't seen in more than two weeks.

*

Draco had never had a problem with nothing being able to hurt her. It took him a while to surrender to their fate after his return to Hogwarts_._

He knew it was impossible, especially after finishing the books his father had given him, but that didn't stop him from trying; he just had to, he couldn't bear to see the sight of her suffering, he learned the hard way when each time he tried something, she not only grew multiple blades along her legs and arms, she inadvertently threw splinters his way each time he got too close to her with harmful intent. It all left him a bleeding mess.

She would then break down in tears, which more often than not caused another painful spurt of magic from her womb. It broke his heart each time it happened, so he stopped altogether.

Their first exchange of words after his arrival to Hogwarts happened with both of them lying in the infirmary; he would always have the curtains drawn around him, since he didn't want her to see the little presents the Dark Lord had left on him as reminder. Incredibly enough it was usually Hermione who broke the silence with a quiet "Sorry" that escaped her mouth along with a struggling sob that she would try to conceal.

After their first few meetings Draco would remind her that it was him who started it and that she shouldn't apologize, but that would usually cause her to burst into tears and ended up with Draco rising from his bed and walking to her to try to sooth her. During these times he would never say that he would stop trying but simply hug her until she fell asleep.

It took him five of these encounters to finally give up; the twins were indeed indestructible while they were inside her, and he didn't like being the cause of her entering the infirmary more than she already did.

He hated more than anything having to see her go through the pain and to not be able to do something. So he would lie with her in the infirmary each time it happened, no human force was able to make him depart and it was obvious that Hermione enjoyed seeing him every time she woke up next to him in bed.

So it was, that he would ask her to forgive him in a million ways and promise that he would never touch her again which only ended up making her even sadder, so he stopped that too.

During their talks she'd go into explanations of how their babies were growing and how in the muggle world they had the technology to take photos and how she dreamed about going when they finished school and that the muggle Doctor that took care of her had promised her he would try to take her do it before that. She ranted about how she tried to watch her temper now harder than ever because she believed that the babies could feel everything she was feeling.

It was all torture for Draco, he would give anything to change places with her if that's what it took. If only he could at least take away the pain she was going through…

After a while Draco became resigned to the existence of the twins, and started talking to them while their mother was asleep. Trying, hoping, praying; begging for them to understand that what they did was hurting her.

One night in the middle of another grieving monologue, while he was caressing her tummy he felt a little spark of electricity go through his hand that filled him with an immense feeling of calm. It startled him and when he tried to raise his hand the green ray of energy followed through making a visible shining streak of light. Then another golden beam of light that came from inside her womb and sparked causing a circular glow in her body that made her sleepy form moan in satisfaction.

He couldn't believe his eyes so he uncovered the piece of cloth that covered her tummy and saw a rainbow of colours flowing all over her stomach some of them shinning through. He placed his hand on top of her, and touched her with a finger, trying to follow the movement when suddenly another bright light came through and touched him again, filling him with a feeling he knew all too well; one he'd had a lot of trouble voicing.

He heard Hermione sigh again and couldn't resist the urge to drop down and kiss her tummy; suddenly another ray flew through her making him jump back.

"Can you feel them?" the sound of her groggy voice surprised him but she continued "they do that from time to time, they are the only calming draught that goes through me, I guess it's because it comes from inside, I like to think I can calm them too, that's why I've taken so much care in guarding my emotions; they like to reciprocate, I guess. I read in a muggle book that the first emotions that a human can produce are anger, sadness, happiness, fear and love; but the only thing I can feel from them is happiness and love. It's soothing, can you feel it" she said taking his hand and pressing it against her skin "Yes, I can" Draco answered smiling, even though he soon realised it was all too good to be true; "you're lying" he said, adapting a serious demeanour to look at her "I've seen you writhe in pain and cry out in sorrow Hermione", the look in her eyes changed but she kept his stare as she answered "that was only because you made me sad and angry, Draco, not them" she saw him cringe before another yellow ray flew through her and made her laugh.

"They tickle!" she explained, before another ray flew from her and touched him "I felt it too" he answered and raised himself to start showering her tummy with kisses, making her get into a fit of giggles.

"Draco, stop! You're killing me" he stopped only to look at her and kiss her; when she asked what had happened he answered again through his kisses "I don't think– ...I want– ...to be– ... the one who– ... makes you sad– ...or angry anymore, Hermione"

"Thank you, Draco" she said with a meaningful look in her eyes.

"That, and I'm not willing to be beaten by couple of babies in the way to your heart" he said before he started tickling her again.

When he had finished tickling her she was panting for breath; before she could catch it, he leant over her and kissed her thoroughly and passionately.

*

Draco came out of the showers and looked up in the mirror, he traced the lines the needles made along his body as they ran beneath his skin; he'd grown used to the pain by now, and the calming draughts Madam Pomfrey gave him seemed to alleviate most of it, although lately they were reaching further down his arms and soon they would probably reach his hands, _at least, _ he thought; _they no longer explode inside and they no longer move as frequently. _His mother hadn't been able to get them out and the school nurse hadn't been any more successful either, he didn't wonder why.

It was one of the gifts the Dark Lord had bestowed upon him, and honestly, he didn't mind all that much. That small part of him still thought he deserved worse...

*

A couple of days later Hermione convinced Draco to go to the shack one more time; they were walking along the passages when Hermione popped a very inconvenient question.

"Why are you wearing gloves lately?" she asked while she pulled his hand as they walked together.

"Don't you think they suit me" Draco answered following her through the passages that took them to their shack.

"Draco, there are hundreds of things that suit you and I've never seen you wear them more than once"

"It's not like I'm wearing the same ones every day!" Draco faked to be affronted.

"I don't like them"

"I thought you said they suited me"

"They do"

"So there's nothing not to like about them." He stated.

"I can never touch you, don't you miss it too?"

"I _can_ touch you" Draco said pulling her back for a fervent kiss.

"That's not what I meant" she said, laughing through his lips.

"What else would you mean?" he said tickling her and carrying her towards the entrance of the Shack.

"Draco- No- Wait! Stop! There's something I want you to see" But Draco had already stopped exactly because he had seen it.

There, lying in the far corner of the entrance room; right next to the door of the room they used, were two cribs and as he looked throughout the room he saw it painted with a blue sky on top of a landscape with trees and birds flying and jumping around, it was all carpeted and he could see different baby toys perfectly ordered in shelves that were placed around the walls. As he got closer he realised the cribs were more like baby gyms, and when he entered the room they used, he saw the real cribs laying each next to an enlarged version of the bed they shared, it didn't look anything like the room they had once used to sleep, it was all painted with a similar landscape to the room outside but with a bright moon and shining stars. The bed they shared was enlarged and had two cribs next to each side and close to the wall.

"When did you do it?" He asked as he turned to look at her trying very hard to hide the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, since he was used by now to see her shining and hopeful eyes whenever there was something concerning the twins. He wasn't mistaken; she was excited, but she was also; not fooled. She laughed and pulled him inside sitting him on the bed next to her.

"Right after I left the infirmary" she said smiling; "Draco, look; I know how you feel about all of this, but I'm going to be fine, and even if I'm not I'm not going to leave you alone"

"Don't you even dare say it, you don't know what you are talking about; you don't know what you mean to me"

"I do know, Draco, but they are your children too, and it's not their fault all this has happened, I'm actually very happy it did. Draco, even my parents are excited, they are not too happy about me making their same mistakes but they know how I feel and they'll support me"

"Do they know that they could kill you?" he retorted.

"They know it's a dangerous pregnancy, but they are all for it, they sent all of this and promised to take care of them if something happens, but Draco; I'd like them to have a father at least, if they are not going to have me"

"Don't-"

"I know it's a possibility, I started a diary I can leave for them if something happens, I hope I can read it to them when they are old enough to understand but if I'm not; I want them to know that I loved them"

"Stop it!"

"Draco, please you have to understand, they are going to need you, and I know you are going to need them too"

"_Silencio!_" he casted but as usual it shined through her. But at least the message got through to her and she stopped, looking sad and crestfallen

"Draco, you have to understand"

Draco was looking defeated, he knelt in front of her and took hold of her hands; he was not looking at her as he spoke; "I do understand, Hermione, I understand better than you think. I know it's not their fault, you don't know how aware I am of that fact – he tightened his hold on her and brought her hands to his lips before he continued – Gosh, it's incredible how effective you can be, way more effective than the Dark Lord; I can't guarantee much but I promise that I'll do all I can to keep them safe, as long; as long as you try to do the same to stay alive" he said the last thing looking straight into her eyes.

She nodded, bringing a smile to her face and hugging him tight. Draco knew he wouldn't be able to do much if she died and he knew the Dark Lord would probably try to go for the twins when he was through with him, but maybe he could try to fake their deaths too, before that happened. Maybe, if there was a god out there that heard his prayers, she would live too; and he would be able to fake her death as well.

She was still hugging him as she whispered in his ear; "would I have done all of this if I were not willing to do my best?"

He crawled up to the bed and cuddled her in his arms until she fell asleep; it took Draco almost all night to do the same.

**//**//**//**//**

**A/N: **Sorry to all those that might have felt Draco go a little more soft than usual on this chapter, you'll see more of the real him in the future.

Also one of the reviewers mentioned how this chapter reminded her of Edward and Bella from Twilight, it probably was because it was inspired on them, I won't say more in case I end up spoiling it for some of the readers, but I thought I should mention it; the last book of the saga inspired some of the scenes on this chapter. Although I feel I should also clarify in case you get your hopes up, that Draco and Edward are characters too different however similar some of the details of the situation are and so are their reactions.

Please review.

**A/N:** this is the cookie I wanted to give you after chapter 14; here you have it while chapter 15 is being revised by my beta, I hope you read it; it will help you understand lot's of what's said in the next chapter; it's the continuation of the book Dumbledore was reading at the beginning of chapter 14.

Here's a reminding:

Dumbledore was running his eyes through the first paragraphs that filled the ancient book he had on his hands as if trying to solve a very difficult riddle hidden behind the lines.

"_... A long, long time ago; before Merlin and Circe, in a land of constant wars; muggles and wizards cohabited together in peace. Differences were set by territory and family rather than kind._

_It is said that during those times of war. The villagers would choose a sorcerer and sacrifice three of their most brave warriors, to bestow upon him the power of their lives combined; in exchange, the sorcerer would be forced to protect the king of the village, for whom the warriors had been sacrificed. During times of war and danger, the sorcerer senses were heightened and it was his duty to protect the king and his people with his last breath, or be punished with unbearable pain._

_This was the Telum Curse; those who were bestowed with it..."_

And this is what follows...

"_...had the ability to hunt their king's enemies the way an animal hunts their prey; they could scent them from kilometres away, hunt them, torture them, destroy them or do with them what their king wished. It is said that some sorcerers would feed on the life of the enemies and leave nothing but bones; some of them would relish on their antics while others were haunted by their memories of losing control._

_In the village of Willencrown it was tradition that the sorcerers were chosen by heritage and that the burden or honour of carrying such a distinguished position was passed from father to son when the elder passed away; it is so that Marckentar, came to power as the Tenth Telum Sorcerer of Willencrown and married Gherith, daughter of Rotterthal, the leader of a tribe who had once tried to take control over the village._

_A year after marrying Marckenthar, Gherith gave birth to a baby girl, with hair as black as night and with eyes the colour of the moon; she was named Geezah and was raised by her loving mother and the few members of family Gherith had left. Her innocent charisma earned her the love of the court and even her father, who she rarely saw, due to the time he spent running different errands for the king himself._

_No one would ever tell her what it was exactly that her father did, and why he was so respected by the whole town. When she asked her mother, she would get very sad, refuse to answer her questions so she simply stopped asking._

_When Geezah was ten years old and her father was on one of his rare visits home, she heard her parents having an argument about her; her mother was begging her father to spare her, she was begging him to break a tradition and telling him that Geezah would never be able to do the horrors her father did and that she would never allow it._

_It was then that it happened, a loud crashing sound was heard from the room in which her parents were fighting and when she ran towards it, Geezah saw her father kneeling on the floor in the centre of the room holding a piece of garment that she recognized as part of the dress her mother wore. Geezah never saw her mother again after that night; and her father refused to talk about it._

_Geezah never forgot the way her father held her that night or the grim look on his face._

_Her mother wasn't buried since her body was never found but the few members of her family; Geezah's grandma and her aunt, made a ceremony for her under a new moon a month after she passed away, her father wasn't present; and it was that same night that Geezah's Grandma and aunt took her from the village; the next day her grandma started giving her classes about meditation and self control._

_No one ever told her the truth until her 16__th__ birthday, when they were finally found. It was Geezah who opened the door and upon seeing her father she threw her arms around him in welcome and after a few seconds her father hugged her back with trembling hands. "Are you ok?" she asked, and her father's firm response was that they had to leave. Geezah, being the impetuous girl she was, ran back to the garden to call her grandma and aunt, she never heard her father's plea to stop or saw the strange way in which he followed her; as if he really didn't want to._

"_Geezah!" her aunt gasped as she dropped the plates she had been holding when she saw her._

_Geezah was running towards her aunt to tell her the great news when she saw the green jet of light that rendered her aunt unconscious, when she arrived she tried to shake her up and cried for help before she realized she wasn't just unconscious. She turned to her father with a look of horror, he then grabbed her and apparated them away before he could continue._

_As they landed, Geezah saw her father fall to the ground, shaking as if in pain, she didn't care, she needed an explanation, she yelled at him and cursed him, she realized then, he had taken not one but two of the people she loved the most. She was hitting him and thrashing against him asking him why, ironically enough it seemed to be not her punches but something else which caused him the most pain._

_Marckenthar, tried to hug his daughter while the tremors passed but it took a long time before Geezah calmed down and he could finally answer "because their actions threatened the crown, Geezah, they tried to take the future protector of our people"_

"_Mom, never threatened anyone! They never harmed a soul!" Geeza yelled back_

"_No, Geezah, they didn't" his father answered._

"_Then Why?! Why, father why?!"_

"_Because it was my duty; because that's what I do, Geezah. No one mourned the death of your mother more than me, love. But I couldn't help it"_

"_How can you say that, if you didn't want to kill her, you wouldn't have done it! She was my mother!"_

"_It's not that easy, Geezah, we've carried the Telum Curse for generations; I can't just run away from my obligations to the crown"_

"_To hell with the crown, it was my family you killed!"_

"_I didn't mean to, Geezah, I didn't want to do it, you have to believe me..."_

"_So that's why she called you a monster, she was right; I'll never be like you!"_

"_I'm sorry, love, I'm so sorry, but you don't have a choice, we never do."_

_Geezah walked back and started to run towards the door, but it was locked_

"_We don't have much time, Geezah, you have to listen to me"_

"_I don't want to hear another word from you; I'm going back to grandma. Let me leave!"_

"_You don't understand, Geezah, it will soon be your turn, honey, I'm dying"_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_The Telum Curse, it's passed from generation to generation, they are just waiting for me to die"_

"_You are not going to die!"_

"_I didn't kill your grandmother, Geezah, I would have spared your aunt too but you ran to her and I couldn't avoid it; the king found out about your kidnap and ordered me to get you, the fact I was hiding how weak i was made them dubious, they know I'm dying that's why they sent me for you, Geezah"_

"_You're not dying!"_

"_Defying an order or going against our obligations, Geezah, renders us helpless; we are bound to our duties by the curse, Geezah, you have to understand"_

"_I understand, I'm never following your footsteps, I'm never becoming one of you, do you hear me? Now stop your nonsense and let me out!"_

_Marckenthar fell to the ground and rested his head against the wall._

"_I'm sorry, Geezah, but maybe it's for the best, I left you a diary with them, they'll look for you when the time comes" he said before letting the door open on its own, letting Geezah get out of there and slamming the door in his face._

_It was for the best, Marckenthar thought, he didn't want her to see what awaited him before he too perished, and he knew it wouldn't be long until they found her and she wouldn't have to go through the death of her grandmother at least. He hoped his theory was right, and that his daughter, unlike him would learn to restrain herself from the start. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard for her as it was for him. And maybe it wouldn't lead her to an imminent death, the way it did with him. He hoped she had a chance to read his diary and forgive him, someday..."_


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **I hope you read the cookie I left for you; it will help you understand the conversation between Draco and Dumbledore.

**Chapter 15 – Orders**

It was no surprise when the following day, Hermione woke up first and nudged Draco up with an incomprehensible murmur quickly followed by a stifled yawn.

"What?" he asked

"You're still wearing them"

"Wearing what?"

"Your gloves, silly"

"Well, I'm still wearing everything else too"

"Why didn't you change?"

"Maybe, because a certain witch, fell asleep in my arms"

"You're a wizard, Draco, you could have transfigured your clothes, or better yet, vanish them" she winked at him, "And I don't remember doing that myself, so it was probably you" she continued, looking at the pyjamas she now portrayed.

It was too late when Draco noticed the devious look she sent his way before she whispered "only fair that I return the favour" and vanished _his_ clothes.

He could feel the needles running through his chest and was sure she had seen them by the time Draco reached his wand, cursing a million times how apt she was with wandless magic. It didn't help that he was not quick enough to conjure his clothes back and when he did, she tore open his shirt.

"Draco, what is that?!"

"What is what, kitten, I'm simply not in the mood today" he said closing his shirt off and pushing her away; "but maybe a couple of kisses could convince me" he said trying to close the gap to her lips.

"Draco, don't play with me and don't try to cover them up, what is that?!" she shrieked vanishing his shirt again.

Draco could feel them moving through him still, he had gotten accustomed to them and it was nothing compared to having to see her each time she suffered another burst of magic.

"You have worms crawling up your skin!" he heard her scream, and thought "worms" was an interesting way to call them "Draco, you need to get them out! Have you talked with Madam Pomfrey about this, here, let me try-"

"No, wait! Hermione stop!" he said, but it was too late, she had already tried to accio one of them making them all explode and grow more needles around each of them, jumping out of his skin and diving back in; as if they were using his skin as a pool, trying to scurry their way back inside his muscles causing the blood to splash out of the wounds and making him hiss in pain.

Hermione, jumped back, horrified by what she had seen; and Draco tried to go to her to calm her before she started another spurt.

"Wait! I'm fine, Hermione; I swear!"

"You're obviously Not fine, Draco, what are those things?! You have to go to the infirmary; I should have known better than to try something like that, I'm so sorry!"

"You need to calm down, ok, I'll go to the infirmary, and I'll explain everything to you, but you need to-" it was too late, he saw her recoil in pain and clutch her stomach as she tried to hide her pain. He was kneeling beside her in a second. They were too far away from the infirmary and he didn't think she could take such a long trip, he took his wand and sent word of their location, hoping they would arrive soon and wishing he knew how to apply any of the painkillers or whatever it was they applied in her shots.

She was breathing hard and he was feeling more helpless than ever so he started whispering things that he didn't really believe were possible like "everything is going to be ok" and "just, please, calm down" and "it's all going to be alright".

When unsurprisingly, none of it worked, he pulled open her shirt to see her abdomen and saw the same sparks he'd seen not long ago in the infirmary but in different shades; he placed a hand on top and like the first time, started to feel some of the rays the twins were emitting; somewhere in the back of his head he realised she had lied in the infirmary; because some of the rays he felt were filled with sorrow, fear, and anger. He thought that all of them were fitting after what their mother had witnessed; maybe that's how they started, he wasn't sure, he didn't know how to make them stop either, so he started with his monologue again, he tried soothing motions around her stomach and tried whispering at them to calm, tried explaining why they shouldn't do what they were doing, and how daddy was going to give them everything they wanted when they were born, if only they stopped because what they were doing was hurting mommy, and how mommy loved them oh so very much, and how he suspected she loved them more than him, and that he understood because that's how she was, and that he never expected anything else...

Sometime in the middle of his monologue he heard Hermione give a bark of a laugh in the middle of an intake of breath and raised his head to find her smiling between shudders, so he continued telling them how beautiful he thought she was, holding her stare through the corner of his eyes; and how they were going to love her when they saw her, and how they needed to calm down to do that, because she would be worth every second of it.

It was then that he felt it, a small spark that jumped through him and made him smile and plant lots of kisses in her tummy, stopping only to thank them over and over again until he heard her laugh and lifted himself up to kiss those beautiful lips he so adored, and stopped only when he heard a voice he knew all too well.

"Now, that's a sight I never thought I'd see..."

"Quiet, Mr. Weasley, and fetch me that chair, we need to administer the samples before the sparks are gone or they won't have any effect" said Madam Pomfrey as she pulled out a needle that she injected in Hermione's hand and then attached it to a tube linked to a pot in which she poured some vials mixed with a purplish potion.

"What is it?" Draco asked

"Proffessor Snape mixed some salves to accelerate the healing process and enhance the effect of the muggle drugs but they have to be applied immediately, or just the drugs will have effect. You did a good job Mr. Malfoy"

Draco didn't answer but asked to keep a stack of the vials and the potion, just in case. He'd make sure he learned how to administer them later.

"It's sad Harry missed such a romantic display, Ferret, but rest assured, I'll get him a pensieve of it for his birthday, it's getting close, you know..." whispered Weasley while he rested on the wall paying close attention to the nurse work.

"Shut it, weaselbee, I know how you feel having to be away from pothead for so long, but don't take it out on me" Draco knew, Potter chose not to come close to Hermione until she recovered all self control, he knew too, that the sodding boy who lived didn't do it for self preservation, it was more to make things as easy for Hermione as possible, and he was thankful for that.

It was Potter too, who would always restrain Weasley from making a scene each time Draco was the cause of any burst of magic that would take Hermione to the infirmary.

He also knew very well, how much Weasley's hate for him had escalated now that he was the cause of his best friend's probable death.

"I wouldn't be playing cocky if I were you, Malfoy; Harry isn't here to hold me back now."

"No, he's not, Weasel, but you care too much for her to risk it now too."

"Quit whispering you too, and get me that salve over there" interrupted Madame Pomfrey.

Ron, went to retrieve the salve and as he came back he threw Draco his shirt, still bathed in blood and whispered so only he could hear; "Cover your little pets, Malfoy, they're starting to make me sick, no wonder how you made her _sick_ too"

Draco glared at him, but knew better than not to comply. By the time Hermione recovered, he had all his clothes on; including the gloves Hermione disliked so much.

Ron approached her bed first, knowing all too well that Draco wouldn't get close until he left, Draco knew, that unlike Harry and Hermione, no one had had to explain what the twins meant for Hermione, the news alone had made him forget any kind of rivalry or grudge he might have felt at some point towards his best friend, but it had also meant that all the hatred he once had hold against Draco had tripled and Draco didn't blame him.

Everyone now knew of Hermione's state, it had been impossible to deny all the gossips with the now prominent belly she sported, they all thought it was Potter's, some of the Slytherins knew better, as they had been warned by their parents not to cross the Mudblood or get acquainted with the young and irresponsible Malfoy, the rest of his house thought he was trying to mend his errors by ridding the Mudblood of her spawns, none of them cared, but none of them crossed him either, they knew better than to get in his way; he might have lost his impeccable reputation of a death eater to be, but he was still a threatening force to behold, at least while he was alive and they were just biding their time.

Draco was reflecting about all of these when he saw Dumbledore enter the room followed closely by Harry and Snape, they both approached Hermione while Snape talked with Madame Pomfrey. Draco took this opportunity to ask a favour from his godfather.

His mentor had just accepted to tutor him when Dumbledore interrupted them asking to have a word with Draco, earning a not too discreet glare from his godfather and a crestfallen sigh from the girl lying in bed that made his heart quicken just a bit. Then she remembered:

"Oh professor, there's something you have to see, Draco was cursed, or well we don't really know, maybe it would be better if Madame Pomfrey saw him first, I tried to help him but I think I only made it worse, sir. I really think someone should tend to him" Hermione finished with a scarlet face.

"As a matter of fact kitten – Draco intervened – I was just about to tell Du- the headmaster here, about it before you decided to make it public, I'm sure he'll be able to help me. I'll be right back."

"Why the hurry, take your time" he heard Weasley whisper before he left the crowded room behind Dumbledore. One of the needles twitched on his back as if retorting.

*

When they reached the headmaster's office he invited him to take a seat while he did the same, he pulled out the book he had been reading when he arrived, and gave it to him; Draco didn't need a second glance to know it was about the Telum Curse.

"It was the book that inspired your task, Mr Malfoy"

"Could it be the diary of Marckenthar, perhaps?" Draco asked remembering it being mentioned in one of the books he had read from his father.

"As a matter of fact it's about the Diary of Geezah, by far a better sorcerer than her father, she accomplished what her father only dreamed of and what I hoped our dear Hermione managed as well, as usual; she excelled my expectations"

"Until I came around and ruined it all, I think the Dark Lord beat you in giving me this speech, Sir"

"Actually, I think her children took her way further than I could have ever hoped"

Draco glared at him; "And they might not stop until they take her to the graveyard" he retorted, angrier than he would have ever admitted.

"Temper, Mr Malfoy" Dumbledore said, piercing him with a look that lacked any of the warmth he saved for Potter, and that reminded Draco whose fault it all was.

"You were asked to rid Hermione of the babies, is that correct?" continued Dumbledore.

"Yes" answered Draco through closed teeth

"You've been wondering who to ask for help, if the children survive"

"If you are about to ask yet another assignment from me, please, refrain from making it look as if you were doing me a favour"

"But I will be doing you a favour, Mr Malfoy, don't forget I don't need to give you anything in return, you gave me your word on blood"

"Cut to the chase"

"If they do indeed survive, I'll see to it that they are kept safe"

"Hermione wants them to be with her parents"

"They will be under protection too"

"Who, then?"

"It will be better if that information is not shared"

"You know I wouldn't be able to share it if I wanted to" placing a fist on top of the table.

"The Weasleys"

"Figures" Draco said cracking his knuckles "what do I have to do" he asked, glaring at the fire.

"Not much, you will just pretend to have done your task"

"Where will you keep her until it's time?"

"She's already taken care of that, she wants you to be her secret keeper. I think it would be on both your best interest to convince her of giving Mr Weasley that task"

"And have history repeat its self; No thanks"

"Don't be fool enough to compare them; Mr Malfoy, you may take that book with you" Dumbledore said in a final tone, dismissing him from his office.

Draco stopped at the door and asked without turning back; "If she survives, would you fake her death too?"

"No, you will need her to get back into Voldemort's good graces."

He threw the door of the headmaster's office forcefully behind him and still heard it click softly in place when he reached the gargoyles.

**//**//**//**//**

**A/N:** This chapter was written a long time ago, right before I departed on an intership abroad and left my laptop behind. My wonderful beta went through it but by the time she sent it back I was already far from home. The good news is that I have already written around 800 words of chapter 16, the bad news is that they are still the same words that were written before I left. Meaning I'm afraid that at some point of it you'll feel as if the reading is forced. I hope it doesn't happen but I haven't written anything in 5 months, I'll try to let it flow and enjoy it so maybe you guys will enjoy it too.

My deepest apologies for all those that felt this story had died.

Di.

PD: PLEASE REVIEW!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N**: for those that haven't noticed I poster chapter15 where my cookie was so go ahead and read that before you read this chapter

**Chapter 16 – Waifs and Strays**

Draco wouldn't have left Dumbledore's office in such hurry if he'd known that right after the gargoyle he'd encounter Hermione; waiting for him expectantly to ask what Dumbledore had said about his injuries. He could see the worry in her eyes and wondered how she had sneaked away from her friends and how long she had been waiting there. He could hardly hide all the pent up anger he had accumulated against that treacherous bastard that wanted to sacrifice her for the greater good, and now he had to face her and blatantly lie to her right away.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Draco asked, trying to delay the inevitable and cursing the fates again for not letting him have a minute of rest.

"The boys had Quidditch practice and I wasn't getting any rest so I decided to come" She didn't mention the fact that she had practically thrown them out of the shack, claiming she was tired. She wondered when she had learned to lie like that.

"I don't think Pomfrey would have let you leave if you were staying in the infirmary, Hermione."

"But I wasn't in the infirmary, and I'm fine. I was worried and I've been trying to keep my emotions in check but I thought it would be safer if I came here and made sure you were fine"

"Let me understand; are you using me as an excuse to be reckless with your health or is it the twins?" Draco admonished her making her look aside and take a deep breath before she alleged.

"Look, Draco, I'm fine, I swear. It's just that I was worrying myself sick and I'm already here. So are you going to tell me what he said?"

She was the epitome of stubbornness, he thought, and concluded that he couldn't avoid the inevitable any longer anyway; "He sent me to Snape, said I needed to take some potions that would take care of it."

"How did you get them in the first place, Draco?" Hermione asked, still worried.

"Oh, well, one doesn't drag the Malfoy name to shame and get out of it with nothing to remember it by" he could hardly believe how smooth he was being about it, especially given his current mood.

"You mean your father did that to you?"

"Something like that"

"But how? When ? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Remember the time I spent away from Hogwarts? That's when, the how's not important, I barely remember it myself. It's not as bad as it looks, really. It's precisely that actually, to tarnish my perfect looks; that's all. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you would make a big fuss about it"

"Will the potions get rid of them?" she asked expectantly and somewhat suspicious.

"Not exactly, they'll take the pain away, the needles are suppose to stay there to remind me of my sins"

"Draco, you are taking it way too lightly" she protested.

"There's only one person who is taking their health very lightly here, and it's you, Missy." Draco scolded her. "We should get going now" He reminded her, putting a hand on her lower back to start walking towards the Whomping Willow and looking around to make sure no one saw them.

"Draco, we are _not_ through." Hermione stated clearly, "and you have to get those potions from Snape"

"I'll get them later and you should stop worrying about it" he told her before making her turn into a more deserted shortcut to their destination

"How can I not worry when you're acting in such an irresponsible way, you should have gone to the infirmary sooner or have it checked before"

"Looks aren't all that important, I know that coming from me it sounds like a lot of crap, but they're not, not really; it's not like you'll stop loving me for it, I know I drive you crazy anyway" he said giving her a slight hug from behind.

"Don't play" Hermione said breaking from his embrace and pulling him forward to get a better look at him.

"Just stop worrying about it, I barely feel them" said Draco, who was getting more exasperated as the discussion progressed.

"I saw your face when I tried to pull them out, Draco" Hermione reminded him.

"Well, that's precisely it, you tried to pull them out; they didn't appreciate the gesture."

"You're still joking" she said with a very serious expression

Draco was starting to lose faith, he was lying about all the things he could hide and making it look like a walk in the park and she was still fussing about it.

"Look, Granger, you said you were taking better care of your emotions since your pregnancy, so you're going to have to stop worrying at the drop of a pin for me to start believing you. Now will you please stop it, I'll take the potions, I'll never ever feel a feather from them, I'd use a glamour charm for you but you know they won't work around you, so what's the point. If you really care so much about how they look, I promise you won't have to see them ever again"

"You know it's not that" she said looking away as they reached the Whomping Willow, "and I already hate your gloves, what's going to be next; a mask?"

"You tell me" he said stopping their way through the passage to the Shack, "they seem to be driving you over the edge and I don't want to make things more difficult for you" he said crossing his arms and looking at her expectantly.

"Draco, it's not that and you know it. I don't like them but I want to see you, feel you; touch you! I don't care about how they make you look; it's what they do to _you_ that has me worried."

"But I just told you, it's nothing"

"I don't know; it just feels as if- as if it was all too easy. Draco, you wouldn't lie to me about something like this, right?" Draco tried not to cringe.

"No, Kitten, of course I wouldn't" he whispered as he hugged her back avoiding her eyes. She hugged him back and he thought it was finally time to change the subject.

"Now tell me, have you thought about where you'll be spending your time after school?" he asked and guided her back through the passageway that took them to the shack.

"Well here, of course." She said with a brighter mood.

"Hogwarts?" Draco asked confused.

"Not exactly Hogwarts, but we'll be really close; the shack." Hermione answered with a triumphant smile; "I thought you'd figure it out, why else would I have decorated it like I did"

"I guess you are right, it was obvious. My head's been elsewhere, that's it"

"I know" she said with a smile. "So have you finished catching up, yet? You were away for a long time"

"Almost there, but I've got a feeling you want to help me? I still don't understand how you've been keeping up. For how long will you be taking classes, anyway?"

"You know me, as long as I can; I've been keeping myself ahead but eventually I will just take the exams"

"You're going to be huge"

"I'm already there, one of these days I won't fit in the desks" Hermione said with a serious expression making Draco chuckle and beating him on the head for it.

"I think you're pretty."

"You better, I wouldn't have you other way."

"And what would I do then, Huh?" he replied hugging her middle and making her look at him.

They shared a moment just standing on the passage way looking at each other, he lowered his head to kiss the tip of her nose and just stayed there touching her forehead with his and closing his eyes. She was looking at him and right before she could say anything; he started to move and took her with him.

"Will you help me then?"

She gulped; "of course, I haven't got my books with me but I'm sure I can coach you without them"

"I'm sure you can" he said and they kept walking in silence until they reached the entrance. She wanted to tell him not to think about it but she had a feeling that wasn't going to be enough.

*

It was true, she didn't need the books, she merely sat next to him and looking at his notes started drawing charts explaining what had gone on in classes while he was gone, they didn't take long with it because Draco had already advanced a lot and he decided that his assignments could wait a few days more. Since his absences had been excused with health reasons he could hand them in at any time.

A few hours later while Hermione got engrossed in one of her maternity books, Draco went for food and told her that he would get the potions he needed from Snape on the way. While he did visit Snape for potions; they were not the ones he'd told her he'd get; the pain killers he used were already kept safely in one of his drawers. His session with Snape lasted half an hour and by the time he got back to the Shack he found her asleep with the book on her lap in one of the sofas. He went to pick her up and moving the book aside he let fall a piece of paper from within the book. It was a list of names divided in two columns for male and female.

The movement made Hermione stir and she opened her eyes to find him reading the list she'd made.

"You can help me add a few more if you want."

He chuckled; "I think this list would give my father a stroke if he had a look at them; they are all so... muggle; you don't have a muggle name?"

"My mother was going through a Shakespearian stage when she had me"

"Huh?" Draco looked at her confused.

"Never mind, tell me what names would give your father a stroke"

"Jake, Martin, Susan, Jocelyn, pretty much all of them. Stop!" Hermione had started crossing the names he was mentioning.

"You don't have to do that, I didn't say I didn't like them."

"Well, do you?"

"You want my opinion?" Draco asked raising an eyebrow at her

"I want you to be participant"

"Is that so?"

"Of course Draco they are yours too, you know. I'm aware you didn't ask for this or plan it-"

"Shh..." Draco silenced her giving her a peck in the cheek "I'll be happy to participate" he reassured her.

Hermione pulled the list back in the book and closed it "it's ok, just forget it"

"Are you letting the hormones get the best of you again?" Draco joked not liking the lack of response he was getting; "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just that-" she stopped herself before continuing "You don't love them Draco; not even close to it, it's as if you just accepted they were there; I don't understand, Draco they are yours too. How can you not love them?"

"Because I love you"

"I love you too, that doesn't stop me"

"It's different"

"How? How could it be different Draco? They are a part of you; a part of you slowly growing. Look, feel them, they're here" she said pulling one of his hands to her belly. "Now they can hear you Draco, you felt them, I just don't get it"

Draco pulled away to look at her "How could I love them, Hermione? When they are about to take from me the only thing I ever wanted"

"They aren't- They didn't, Draco, it's not their fault this happened. They didn't plan this; any of it!" she stood up and took a few steps away from the couch. "Draco, when this is over" she stopped to make sure he looked at her "if I don't get through this, you'll mourn me for a while but you'll be able to get on with your life and take care of yourself. They won't; if I don't get through this they are going to be alone, Draco, I don't want them to have a loveless childhood; it's not your money I want for them. Why can't you understand?!" she stormed to their room and threw the door closed after her.

Draco remained rooted to the couch where she left him; he covered his eyes with his hands and smoothed over the tear that had crossed one of his cheeks. It didn't seem fair that he would have to lie about that as well. He wasn't ready to face her as he walked the space to the door and opened it, he wasn't even sure of what or how he'd be able to tell her what she needed to hear.

As usual, she took care of this problem when he entered their room and told him; "Draco, why can't you understand; they are not the reason you are losing me; they are the reason I'm willing to fight."

So that's how it was, Draco thought, as he yet again gathered the courage to lie to her. He closed the space between them and kneeled in front of her next to the bed. He took her hands and without looking at her he promised the only thing he could. He promised that theirs would be nothing like the childhood he had; and looked at her before he reassured her that he would do everything in his hands so that they didn't have the loveless childhood she feared.

The day they were born would be the worst day in Draco's life.


	17. Chapter 17

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author's Notes:

This chapter hasn't been proof-read by any of my precious Betas, I'm revising all the chapters from Need with their help, and so far we've reached the fifth and seventh chapter. I'm updating this because as I edited I also wrote more chapters and right now I'm stuck in chapter 19, which means, I NEED INSPIRATION! I thought I would post this and ask… **What would you like to see next?** Ideas anyone?

**Chapter 17: **_**Promises**_ by WickedDiSaster

It happened in a Muggle hospital, two months before scheduled; just as school had started again, although this time they no longer needed to assist classes. It was suppose to be in the shack, or so Hermione had wished, but the sudden painful spurts of magic that took her to a premature delivery happened as they were nearing the anniversary of their first time together. Draco couldn't help to think he was paying for all his sins on that blasted day.

They had been visiting the Headmaster in Hogwarts, the muggle healer that took care of Hermione took a long time to arrive and none of the calming draughts that Draco had learned to administer worked. They had taken her to the infirmary and the useless nurse of the school told Draco she had entered in labour, even though he refused to believe it at first, one look at Snape confirmed it. When the muggle finally arrived to the infirmary, her friends had arrived too; even Potter, who had stayed on the request of Hermione. It seemed incredible that they had managed to hide everything that was happening from the students.

The muggle informed them that he needed to take her to his clinic and even though everyone protested the old fool ended up providing the Portkey that transported them all in the end. The arrival was disastrous, it made Hermione sick to the point of unconsciousness, the muggle informed them they needed to wake her up and savagely injected something directly into her chest to Draco's dismay.

The Doctor shouted for more assistants and despite their initial shock at finding them all there; the muggles started to work on her, applying yet more of what Draco thought were muggle potions, to everyone's consternation; through even more needles.

One of the muggle assistants had the audacity of ordering him to leave. He was about to give her a piece of his mind when Potter told her that he was the father. Then he turned to ask the rest to leave but the muggle healer that had brought them here, stopped the assistant, telling her there was no time and that they would stay.

"Draco!" Her broken voice was barely audible but loud enough to have him next to her the next second. She was holding his hand in a really tight grip and besides the pain it caused him, it gave him a great relief to feel her; to have a solid proof she was still fighting, still with him.

She was lying on her side while a muggle introduced yet another needle in the middle of her back, informing them it would sooth the pain. Hermione was nodding her head while he watched her hold the pain of yet another tremor cursing through her body. The muggle yelled and pulled back exclaiming that she swore she heard a bone fracture.

The muggle Draco now remembered was called Doctor Harrison, informed them that they should start preparing for more fractures as the delivery proceeded and asked Snape to come over. Draco stopped listening after that. He barely paid attention to the dumbfounded faces of the muggles or the potions that Snape handed the doctor. Everything started to happen in slow motion for him, he never took his eyes from hers, taking in every expression of pain, every frown of concentration and every drop of blood that ran down her jaw from the pressure of her teeth against her skin; he had never been as scared of anything in his life. He never heard the murmurs around, the whispers of encouragement her friends sent her way. _"Hold on, Hermione" "you can do this" "Stay with us, Miss Granger" "Push, m'am. Push!"_ it was all a painful blur of noises to Draco. He couldn't look at anything else. He just stared at her with utmost terror; pleading, begging; praying to whichever deity that they didn't take her from him. From time to time she would look back at him and he knew, he was certain that she knew; he wouldn't be able to _go on _as she had wished, he just couldn't. Then she would turn to the rest and start all over again.

He never heard the first cry of a baby; he just saw her soft smile as her gaze followed it away, until another muggle brought her back to yet more pain. The second time it happened her sigh of relief and her smile as she slowly let go of the tight grip on his wrist brought him to a halt. It all stopped for him; the sounds, the movements, the flashes of light around him, he could feel his heart stop beating as he yelled "NO!" making her glance back at him with eyes barely open. When her eyes focussed on him, he shook his head and screamed at her at the top of his lung "I WON'T!" He was threatening her, he knew she would understand. How Slytherin of him, how low, he felt a hand trying to pull him away in vain; he knew the Gryffindor idiots would try to stop him. He knew it was the most despiteful thing he could do, he was aware of just how low and treacherous he was being, and in the worst possible moment, too.

He just didn't care.

He never looked away from her, he wanted her to be certain "I won't take care of them!" She tried to whisper something that sounded like _promise_ and he launched himself forward before she closed her eyes again "Not Without you! You know I won't! You know I can't!" He thought he saw her nod before he was pushed backwards. He found himself restrained in the back of the room as the muggles, along with Dumbledore, Pomfrey and Snape worked on her. He thought he heard whispers of people telling him how much of an utter piece of shit he was, but he didn't pay attention. He never stopped looking.

He saw them try to revive her as they placed on top of her chest something that made her body thrash about the bed, saw them apply even more needles on her, he saw how they were connecting her to lots of muggle contraptions that looked like boxed glued to tubes to him, some of them moved, and he heard them imply it would help her breath, some of them emitted sounds that tuned to the beats of her heart, he saw them clean her up only to bath her in more potions that marred her skin, and then cut her body open and then saw them mend the fractured bones and heal her organs, to later stitch her skin back together. By then Dumbledore and Pomfrey were not assisting them and Snape stood on the opposite end of the room.

He saw the muggles mutter among themselves and scuttle around her bed in desperate and diligent motions for hours until their frantic actions started to slow down into what he hoped started to be a common procedure. He didn't dare to think they had somehow given up. He kept staring at the moving tubes that were suppose to help her breath and kept looking at the screen that draw and mimicked the sounds of her heart. He thought the lines it made looked worse than the drawings of a two year old but the muggles seemed to be pacified by what they saw in it after a while, and it pacified him as well. Even as he watched how they proceeded to stitch the wounds they'd open in her.

Long after the room started to empty he was left staring at her and the muggle contraptions that surrounded her.


	18. Chapter 18

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author Notes: This chapter hasn't been proof-read by any of my precious Betas, I'm revising all the chapters from Need with their help, and so far we've reached the fifth and seventh chapter. I'm updating this because as I edited I also wrote more chapters and right now I'm stuck in chapter 19, which means, I NEED INSPIRATION! I thought I would post this and ask… **What would you like to see next?** Ideas anyone?

**Chapter 18: **_**Turning The Tables**_ by WickedDiSaster

He had remained rooted to the spot throughout it all. He saw them clean up all of the mess they had made and pull out some of the needles he assumed were no longer necessary. One of the muggles tried to get him out at one point but one glance was enough to know it was in vain.

He hardly registered when more muggle healers walked in and out of the room. When it was all over he heard Doctor Harrison approach them telling them she would be fine. And Draco finally heard himself breath.

He remained motionless as the muggle continued to explain something to Potter and Weasley, who had at some point stopped restraining him. Slowly he walked over to the bed, the muggles had stopped fussing over her; connecting, and disconnecting more of their devices. One of them stopped him to tell him he couldn't come any closer mumbling something about sterilising, he was about to move him aside when another muggle came into view.

"Sir," she had said, making him look at her. "Come with me," it was obvious Draco didn't want to do such a thing but she pressed on. "She's going to be fine, sir. You need to come with me now." He wouldn't have complied if she had not showed him where she wanted to take him didn't surpass the limits of the room.

She directed him to a spot in the corner where he realised they had placed the babies. They were lying with their eyes closed scarcely moving in small glass-cubicles. He noticed with slight confusion that they had small blond curls, it didn't seem logical to him that her babies would be blondes until a deeper side of him registered that he had never met a Malfoy that hadn't inherited the trait.

They, too, seemed to be connected to their muggle devices; he wanted to shred them all to pieces. _"How dared, they put those things in them?"_ he thought outraged, he turned to do so and would have probably done it if he hadn't been in the state of shock he currently was. It all seemed to pass dreadfully slow; his thoughts; his perception of everything and yet it was all too much to take in.

His outraged reaction had been stopped by the nurse that had asked him to follow her, she seemed to have realised that he had not liked seeing them there. "They are alright, Sir" she had pointed, plastering a reassuring smile on her face directed to him as she prodded him towards the cubicles. She showed him how to introduce his hands in the two gaps that projected into gloves to let him inside the glass-covered cribs.

He could hear her soft murmurs of encouragement as if her voice belonged to a distanced world. He stirred his gloved hand until he was mere inches from the baby inside. _His baby_, a voice whispered in the back of his confounded brain.

"_She was first,"_ he heard the nurse whisper, as Draco brushed a small curl from her face, she was so small; so quiet and calmed, he thought. He wanted to ask if she was really ok but the baby moved one of her little hands slightly and Draco found himself touching her with the tip of his finger. She was so little; her hand wouldn't envelope his finger. He ran his finger through her small body, stopping in her chest, and watching it slowly rise as she breathed. He stopped there for a while until he felt movement behind him. Someone was trying to move the glass cubicle of his other baby.

"What are you doing?" he heard himself ask with a raspy voice.

"We have to take them to another ward, Sir. They'll take better care of them there, with the other babies."

Then he found he was standing up scorning at the preposterous idea of the nurse. "You can't do that! She'll want to see them when she wakes up."

"Sir, we need to–"

"They'll stay here, Joyce" interrupted Dr. Harrison as he approached them in the company of Dumbledore, Pomfrey and Snape. "That will be all, you can tell the rest to cancel the transfer now," Harrison continued, dismissing her from the room.

At the sight of them Draco couldn't help to feel overwrought. He watched their every move as they approached the babies.

Snape, sensing his discomfort, told him; "Draco, Pomfrey is going to check them. She'll just run a quick spell to see how they are doing" Snape told him and Draco nodded once not moving one step, as they opened the cubicle and the muggle disconnected all the devices from his baby, then they proceeded to lift her in the air while the little bundle softly gurgled. After a few spells the nurse declared the baby was fine and put her back in the glass cubicle. Before the muggle could close the cubicle again, Draco stopped him.

"We can regulate the temperature and supervise them better this way, Mr Malfoy" said Dr. Harrison.

Draco casted a charm around his baby to regulate the temperature and told him to keep it open as the Doctor plugged the devices back in so he could still supervise their development. Pomfrey closed the space to him and casted a purifying charm on the environment to ensure the baby wouldn't get sick as she glared at her father. They did the same with her twin after that, confirming she was alright as well.

When they were finished Draco asked when they would be coming back.

"Miss Granger can't be moved now. We expect the magic of the curse to help her recover faster to endure the trip back on Portkey, but we won't know until she's conscious" Snape told him.

"What about the security?"

"Every member of the order is standing outside, Draco. They've been there for hours now. They're taking turns to watch." It wasn't lost in Draco how Snape was the only one not ignoring him with a tight expression in his face.

"How long until she wakes up?" asked Draco.

"Doctor Harrison says it could be a day or two, he says the more the better."

"It'll be a day then," Draco informed them. "She'll want to see them." He then took a seat next to the babies with a clear view to her bed and waited.

From time to time he'd witness Pomfrey checking on the babies or a muggle rounding up Hemione's bed taking notes of her progress. As the hours passed he witnessed all of her friends visit her; the whole order indeed. They entered one at a time, only Potter and Weasley took residence in the room for a long time. Weasley would pace around for hours while Potter sat in the furthest seat from him. Eventually one of the Weasleys took them out of the room claiming they should get some sleep and he stayed alone, just watching her; during the long hours of night in the perpetual silence only perturbed by the beeping sounds of the machines, he waited.

Before the crack of dawn one of the babies started crying, startling Draco, who didn't know what to do, he lifted her from her cubicle making sure the charms Pomfrey had done were still in place, and carried her around the room hoping to calm her down before she woke up her sister. He was looking down at her as he cuddled her in his arm, she was so small she fitted just fine, it made him smile to see her bawling fists as she made her feeble attempts of screams, he figured she was still too young and weak to master the art yet, he travelled a finger around her tender face smiling as he did and murmuring shushing sounds.

Right then he noticed movement on Hermione's bed, as he looked up he found two large eyes staring at him, and found himself petrified by the sight of them. He didn't know what to do. He had wanted to be present as she woke up, just to reassure himself of her progress, he had wanted to see her open her eyes even if it had meant she no longer wanted him around, which he thought would be very likely.

Now that he was staring at those eyes, quickly filling up with tears he started to feel his chest tighten.

It was the most tormenting sight he'd see, she wasn't sobbing, per say, maybe because she wasn't strong enough for it yet, she was shedding tears that ran through an expression full of sorrow on her face. It seemed to be taking a lot of effort from her, but she was lifting her arms to her baby, signalling him to bring her to her. It didn't take too long before he crouched at the side of her bed with _her _baby in his arms. He tried to place her next to her mother since he doubted she'd be able to hold her, except Hermione wasn't conforming with that, she was trying to move to embrace her child, all with great effort and in vain, so Draco decided to place a Levitating Charm on the child, making sure the rest of the spells casted on her, were still activated, he added a Weightless Charm to ensure she wouldn't hurt her mother as he brought her closer to her bosom.

Hermione smiled when she finally touched her daughter who had stopped crying as soon as she encountered her mother; soon her tiny lips started looking for her and Hermione focussed on making the piece of clothing that separated her from her daughter to disappear. The fact that her Wandless Magic was still stronger than her ability to move wasn't lost on Draco, for he could see the great exertion that it took from her just to lift her arms to cradle her baby.

Despite the beads of sweat Draco saw forming in her temples he observed her blissful smile as her baby started nurturing from her. She was mesmerized with the sight of her daughter and Draco with the sight of her.

He felt compelled to repeat the same words the nurse had told him when he first saw their baby "She was the first one." To which Hermione surprised him whispering two words.

"I know."

Of course she would, he told himself, berating his foolishness. She had probably imprinted their faces in her mind the moment she saw them being born. Just then, Hermione lifted her gaze to him and then moved it around the room until she located her second child laying on one of the corners of the room. "Could you–...?"

"Of course" he replied, not letting her finish as he went towards the cubicle in which his other baby lay. He took the same care as he carried the baby back to Hermione, making sure she didn't wake up in the process; he applied the same charms on her as he placed her next to her sister. Their mother couldn't look happier as she started to shed tears from the sheer joy of it.

Draco took a seat next to the bed and watched them enthralled in absolute silence, not daring to interrupt her moment of bliss.

His mind was a maze of chaos, he didn't regret yelling at her the way he did, he had never been as scared of anything in his life, he still was and he was also certain that she knew him well enough to know this. How could he say he was sorry when he didn't even regret betraying her trust the way he did: in her weakest moment, in the worst possible way; he had broken his promise and was sure she knew that given the circumstances he would do it again.

He had threatened her with the most treacherous of things, with that which he knew she held most dear; her babies, her oh-so-precious babies. He knew there was no bigger scum in the world than him. He could still hear her voice asking him to love them, making him promise he would take care of them. And yet it was his betrayal that made him capable of witnessing just that love she had wanted him to bear.

When the sunlight crept through the window sills and his second child finally woke up he lifted the other baby to keep her from the noise and as the steps outside the room grew louder he casted a spell to cover Hermione as she nurtured her daughter. It was Doctor Harrison, who as soon as he saw her started admonishing her about her lack of care for her health, telling her she wasn't strong enough to hold her baby yet. Hermione would have none of it and soon the muggle gave up. It wasn't long after, that her friends started to fill the room once more while Draco secluded himself and his child against one of the walls of the room, thinking as he looked at his child of what he would do now that his prayers had been answered, of what he could do to keep it that way.

Against all odds they ascertained Hermione was recovering at a startling speed and would be able to be moved soon. During their stay Draco didn't bat an eye, he doubted he would have been able to sleep even if he had been provided a bed and busied himself in taking care of his daughters and helping Hermione feed them one at a time. He never placed them back in the cubicles and made sure he learned how to place the necessary wards around them to warn him of anything they needed. He learned to change them, clean them and once he learned how the muggles and Pomfrey supervised their development he didn't let any muggle or wizard close to them again.

It was during the long hours they remained in the muggle clinic, that Draco finally learned to love his daughters the same way she had loved them from the start.

The morning of their departure Dumbledore made sure the Portkey transported the necessary equipments to supervise Hermione's progress and made the essential adjustments to their room in the Shrieking Shack to fit everything in. They had agreed that it would be a better location than Hogwarts since they didn't want to risk any possibility of Voldemort finding out of the recent developments through the students.

During the first night in the Shrieking Shack Hermione and Draco had their first conversation, undoubtedly started by Hermione who startled Draco as he placed his firstborn in her crib asking him to take a sit next to her for a moment.

As Draco complied he watched her eyes fill up with tears and soon understood what topic she was about to address. As soon as he deepened one side of the bed she slowly reached a hand to his and after the longest of moments she finally muttered the most impossible words.

"I forgive you" She said, making Draco doubt what he had just heard.

"I understand why you did it," she continued. "You were probably right, you know. I might not have made it if you hadn't done it." The tone of her voice gave away the deep sadness she felt.

"And then I wouldn't have been able to know them. To hold them." She said as a tear slid down her cheek.

"I don't think you would have really broken your promise, Draco. Sure, I believed you when you screamed at me that you would, I even think you believed it as well. You did the same thing when you first found out after all, and you did try. But I know better now," she smiled. "I don't think you'd have been capable of not honouring what you knew were my last wishes. And I'm sure _they_ wouldn't have let you." She told him as the ghost of a smile crept up her features again.

Draco looked down at her hand holding his before returning his stare back at her. "You shouldn't, Gryffindor" he said. "You with your inevitable ways of loving, you shouldn't forgive me." He couldn't help caress her fingers back. "It's dangerous enough as it is. There aren't happily-ever-afters in this world. What will it take to convince you of not making yourself even more vulnerable."

"Yes, I would have done everything in my hands to keep them out of harm's way, but I would have broken the promise anyway, Gryffindor, because keeping them safe means keeping them away from me. It still does."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione whispered looking at his eyes in search of an answer. Draco lowered himself to her, and touching her forehead with his he closed his eyes letting a tear escape as he kissed her in the most tender of ways. "I'm so sorry, Hermione" he whispered with a pained voice as he pronounced her name like a reverie.

"We can't keep them" he finally told her and anticipating her reaction, he continued muttering in a frenzy, "If at least you got to stay with them, Kitten. I'd gladly die for it. If only Dumbledore were willing to keep you safe, I swear I'd walk to the Dark Lord with open arms. If it would only keep you all safe."

"What are you talking about, Draco?" Hermione said with a cracked voice.

"But you won't let go, 'Mione, even if you're strong enough to run away from this, you can keep them safe. Why won't you let me go?"

"Draco!" She shrieked, holding him harder still, tears cascading down her eyes, which were seeking out an explanation of what he was saying. An explanation he wouldn't deliver. He reached out a hand to the back of her head to bring her close, "I'm sorry" he whispered again. "It's not fair to you," he said. "I was never meant to have you, I was never meant to have them, 'Mione. If I could just convince you, they wouldn't have any hold over you."

"Draco, what are you talking about, you are not making any sense!"

"'Mione, the Dark Lord wants you, he wants to use you against Potter. He went through all sorts of trouble to get you, and what I did to you ruined everything for him. He thinks you're going to die. He just wanted me to witness it before he punishes me for what I've done. Everyone is certain of it; they didn't know of your training, they don't know how strong you've become. They don't know what you're willing to do for them, Hermione, there's no way for them to know you are still alive! If you'd let me go to them you wouldn't have to leave them, you could keep them safe, I'm sure Potter cold convince that conniving old man to help you ru–"

She slapped him.

"They'd kill you!" she said accusing him with her realisation. "They've been planning it, you said they were–"

"It would keep them safe, Hermione." – He interrupted her – "I'm the only thing holding you down, they wouldn't have anything over you. If the Dark Lord ever discovers that my love for you is not unrequited, Hermione, you're smart enough to know what he'd do. Potter would just be the beginning, if he ever finds out about the babies it would be the end of it, 'Mione. If you'd just let me go, he'd never have to know."

"No!" She screamed at him, making the babies start crying in their cribs, Draco went to them to lift them up and brought them to her lap quieting their cries with hushing sounds that were filled with love. "They don't deserve it, 'Mione. They can at least keep their mother."

His words made her break into sobs. "There's got to be another way" she said, trying to control herself, covering her mouth and shaking her head in denial, "You said– you said _we_'d have to leave them. That means there's another way; someone has already thought of it– Dumbledore, you mentioned him. What has he planned? Draco, tell me." She managed to ascertain between gasps and tears.

"You'd have to leave them, Mione. You don't have to. They need you, they deserve you, you said it yourself; they deserve to be loved."

"They deserve a father too, Draco! You won't deprive them that! I won't let you!"

"If he ever finds out about the babies, 'Mione. You can't let him know you care for me, you'll probably have to see me tortured, 'Mione. He did it to my father, I can't let that happen to you." She gasped, trying to cover her sob.

"When?"

"'Mione"

"When?" she repeated.

"When I went home."

"The worms in your chest. That's why no one can get them out. He cursed you. Voldemort cursed you. They're not just there to tarnish your looks, you can feel them crawling up your body, can't you."

"You see?" he emitted a short laugh. "You can't care about those things, Granger. He's bound to pick it up. You can't do this!"

"You don't know what I'm capable of! Just tell me!"

"We'd have to fake their deaths, the Dark Lord knows I'm loyal to you, I don't know if he's going to try to break through that or see it as an advantage, Dumbledore wants me to take you to him, claiming you don't want to remain close to Potter any longer, he thinks that ridding you of the babies and taking you to his lair is bound to take me back into his good graces. He hopes he'll keep me as your guardian, Voldemort won't use you until his last confrontation with Potter, he wants it to be a surprise attack, he knows Potter would never hurt you while you can't help to hurt him, he doesn't expect any different."

"Then that's what we'll do." She said in a resolute voice that made Draco livid despite having known what her reaction would be from the start, despite having given up already to this fact.

"Damn you, you stubborn Gryffindor! You're not just risking yourself here, you're risking them too. If the Dark Lord ever knows that I'm anything more than a fancy to you. You'll have to see me die anyway, I'll be damned if I allow him to have you in his clutches. Because you can never, NEVER, you hear me, let him know about them!" Draco sneered at her, tearing open his shirt and pulling one of his needles out, very aware of the effect that exploit caused, he managed to get the spiked thing an inch from her face before he told her.

"You better start warming up to them cause they're bound to multiply when I get back and you better not so much as flinch with the sight of them, Granger." He said as he let the spiked needle jump back into his skin breaking it apart in a spluttering of blood and flesh that he carefully avoided stained his children.

"They're going to keep their father, Draco" Hermione said with a still stare and a defiant voice.

"It's not worth the risk, you obstinate witch." Draco said Scourgifying any trace of blood from the presence of his daughters.

"It is, Draco" she solemnly whispered back "It is."


	19. Chapter 19

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Author Notes: **I finished this story sometime last year, or maybe before that but it remains unbetaed, I thought I wouldn't deprive you of it anymore. I must admit I'm not so fond of this chapter and a few more ahead, but I'm happy with the overall plot. Tell me what you think ;)

**Chapter 19: **_**Beginnings**_ by WickedDiSaster

Hermione and her premature babies grew ever healthier in spite of the near dead experience that had been their arrival to the world. They all suspected it was due to the Telum Curse, which didn't cease to increase the power of their mother.

Despite the list Hermione had made, it was Draco, who named the twins. Their firstborn was named Kath, that meant _pure,_ because it not only went very well with her strong personality of "Pureblood Debutant," to Draco she was _Pure _to the very last drop of her blood and her name should only ascertain as much.

Kath made sure her needs were met with immediate reactions her loud and sharp screams demanded. Her sister looked at her annoyed, and scorned at her in obvious disapproval; her vigilant and watchful eyes of Kath's antics and her surroundings earned her the name of Casey Malfoy. The resemblance of her personality with that of her mother's made Draco's fondness for her reach a profound admiration.

To say their father was besotted with them was the greatest understatement, Draco covered every ephemeral whim they had and even mastered a muggle technique that allowed him to store their mother's milk to feed them while Hermione slept. He went as far as summoning four of his elves from the manor to make sure his babies' needs were covered throughout the night.

Hermione put up a hell of a fight but Draco didn't budge; Kath and Casey should get used to familiar faces that took care of them while they were gone, and that way, when the twins needed attention throughout the night, Hermione could get more of her much needed sleep to recover from Snape's Occclumency lessons.

Draco made sure to instruct the elves on how they should take care of his children when he was gone. While he was forced to leave them in the care of common Weasleys, he would not let them be deprived of anything while he was gone. He already feared the blow the desertion of their parents, could cause them.

Draco doted on them every second of every free minute he possessed and in the short hours in which they slept he went through every protection charm created in Wizarding History, and spent every Knut in his vault to acquire everything he needed to procure them for his daughters.

Given the way muggle science had saved their life in the beginning, he didn't skimp in any resource available when it came to taking care of them. He made sure they had the best and became very shocked to discover no wizard had yet attempted to create a spell or potion to replenish breast milk while the muggles had not only created formulas but discovered methods to store it and save it.

Although he had read as well that there was nothing better than the natural breast milk the mother produced, and was certain that given Hermione's condition, there wouldn't be any formula able to replace or equal its advantages; but there was nothing he could do about it since she wouldn't be able to provide it for them when they were away.

During a quiet evening in which Draco was spoiling his children, the babies sprawled over his chest, a small sparkling toy levitating in front of them; Hermione entered the room thoroughly exhausted and looking at him with a reproachful stare, Draco smiled and reminded her in a purposefully taunting manner that it was her decision all along, to want to play hero and abandon her children, to which Hermione answered with a cold glare.

It wasn't the first time he tried to sway her that way and she was sure it wasn't the last time either. They had agreed it was for the best, now Hermione was aware of their upcoming future, that the Secret Keeper wasn't Draco, and although that task hadn't befallen upon Weasley, Draco decided their best option was Potter, since they were going to claim to Voldemort that the loss of her children had only heightened the already growing resentment Hermione fell for Potter, they expected he'd make a better job of it, and considering he didn't hold as big a grudge for Draco as the Weasel did, he hoped he'd take better care of Kath and Casey.

The plan was that the Weasleys would take turns in guarding the babies while only Mrs. Molly would remain with them.

They were given four months before their departure since they expected Voldemort wouldn't know when they'd been conceived, and wasn't expecting a premature birth more than an imminent death, besides the supposed time her recovery took.

In the meantime, Hermione dedicated her time to learn all she needed to learn and practiced all of her new abilities, while Draco took care of the girls. Of course, Hermione, refused to neglect her babies, especially after her imminent departure, so she acquired again a time turner to spend as much time as possible with her babies without exhausting herself.

The night before their departure they spent the night curled up together around their babies in the bed, neither of them batting an eye.


	20. Chapter 20

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Author Notes: **I am still **looking for a Beta!** Please don't forget to Review.

**Chapter 20: **_****__**The Dark Side**_ by WickedDiSaster

Life in The Dark Lord's Lair went unbearably slow; the day of their arrival, Draco had gone through two days of torture at the hands of Voldemort.

Regardless of how Draco had made sure Hermione knew this fact long before their departure, and even though the prospect of it haunted her from the start, she never mentioned it in fear he started on how she should stay with the twins and let him go. For Hermione, the choice between the prospect of watching him tortured or accepting his death by means of torture, wasn't a real choice.

Bringing back his weapon safe and sound hadn't been enough to absolve him of his trespasses, and despite both him and Hermione expected it to be this way, when the time came, Draco was more than relieved the ordeal was kept from Hermione's eyes; whatever the Gryffindor claimed, she wasn't ready to witness anyone's torture yet, least of all his own.

Apparently the Dark Lord had expected as much because he ordered him to lie and tell her that an attack from her side caused his injuries. Voldemort wanted her adjustment to go as smoothly as possible; her awareness of how he tortured her only link to his side didn't fit with his plans.

Draco prayed he didn't change his current perspective.

He told Voldemort that the spurt of magic responsible for her miscarriage had been Potter's fault; that his proximity and her increasing aversion of him led to a heated argument that killed her babies leaving her in a comma, under the care of Draco, who had nurtured her back to health. He informed him that this was the last straw that founded the profound hatred she now felt for Potter, but while she'd gladly participate in the massacre of the boy-who-lived, she wasn't ready to witness any other kind of genocide yet.

Voldemort ordered Lucius in a public meeting to invite the distressed Miss Granger to Malfoy Manor and make her feel at home until she recovered from her loss.

So far, Hermione faked her gratitude to the glamorous side of the Death Eater Meetings she now frequented, while Draco remained through the entire gatherings and endured the harsh tortures, punishments, and schemes that followed.

When Draco returned from his first encounter with the Dark Lord, Hermione took great care in healing his injuries. This alone, made Narcissa's reticent acceptance of her, turn into real approval of her presence in the manor. Draco's mother did not know the full extent of Hermione's relationship with her son, only that the Dark Lord commanded her presence upon their home; and while she did not know if his son reciprocated her feelings or if he was ordered to fake them, she knew Hermione truly and deeply cared for him. The current Dark Lord's protégé would keep her son out of harm's way.

Hermione refused to act frivolous around him inside the manor; unless they were holding a party or had a guest over, she would drop her act the second they crossed the threshold of the manor. Despite Draco brought it up during their arguments, in the deepest corner of his heart he was grateful for her attitude; he doubted he'd be able to keep his sanity had it been otherwise. For the biggest part, this was common practice among pureblood families, and his parents highly approved of her behaviour.

Her introduction to the dark side, which was responsibility of Draco, consisted of assisting to frequent and exuberant galas organized by supporters of the dark side, Death Eaters and Non Death Eaters alike. So far, most of the contrived part of the story laid on Draco's shoulders, who went on several and frequent missions, besides assisting to every Death Eater meeting.

He endured the nasty parties in which they captured and tortured muggles, mudbloods and blood traitors; he witnessed the punishments for missions gone wrong; underwent the perversely sick meetings where plans and strategies were made; all to then, recount it to the Order.

So far, Hermione just had to bear the obnoxious, narrow-minded and sometimes vicious opinions from the Purebloded aristocracy. She swallowed her pride and lied through her teeth with a bright smile about how she agreed with those that found Harry Potter to be a rock in their shoes and an obstacle in the path for progress.

The only positive side she found on this new life was that their relationship was no longer a secret. However frivolous they considered her association with Draco, it thrilled Hermione to no end each time she felt his hand on her back guiding her through the crowds, introducing her as his fiancé. It never ceased to amaze her how such small actions send shivers through her spine. She took great joy in how none of the pureblood-hypocrites was able to utter a word against it.

The supporters of the cause that noticed the obvious way in which the Dark Lord's most respected followers pampered her, looked upon her with an interest that bordered on greed but she paid them no mind.

Soon, the weight of Draco's assignments, his frequent meetings with the Dark Lord, and his own tasks as a spy, wore him thin. He frequently arrived to the Manor with blood-stained robes and a sombre looks on his features. He never talked about it, nor did he let her near his wounds; he viciously burned each piece of clothing, and meticulously healed each of his wounds before he went to her. Hermione felt his showers always took too long, and the way he cuddled her, the way he breathed in her hair, the tight grip that never let her turn to hug him made her ache for him.

More often than not, he refused to make love to her and when they did, it was so slow and tender that Hermione could feel his pain tangible in every caress. She tried to desperately kiss away all his sorrows, but with each touch and kiss she gave him, he gave back the same with sad and painful adoration, as if he didn't deserve the right to touch her, as if he didn't want her stained by him. She could feel his tears as he came, hidden in the depths of her neck, and he would never talk about it.

During one of the galas they assisted, a young tall death eater leered at Hermione from afar, she hadn't noticed until Draco whispered it in her ear in what looked like a cold, frivolous, teasing gesture. Surprisingly what came out of his lips was a warning to act cold and nonchalant towards him in front of the Death Eater approaching them. She forced a smirk on her lips.

The lack of jealousy in his voice formed a knot of uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. Even now that their relationship was public, they constricted it.

She felt insulted by the overconfident Death Eater blatantly flirting with her, but still had to give fake smirks of amusement towards both of them. She didn't wait long before she feigned boredom about the situation and left them both. She pretended not to notice when Draco stopped 'Roland' from following her and forced herself not to look concerned when she saw them exchange threatening murmurs.

A few days later Draco came back with a vicious cut across the chest that he didn't heal nor hid and Hermione couldn't help to think of Roland when she saw him.

After the incident, it became ridiculously obvious that more Death Eaters had taken a page from Roland's book, and developed an interest in the Dark Lord's weapon. Draco made a point of seducing her in public, driving her crazy with need but avoided his tender touches that usually made her feel like goo.

A particularly gloomy night she found him in his library staring at the window with a deep look of regret, she placed her hands in his arms and pressed herself to his back hugging him as best as she could. He took hold of her hands and turned to face her, kissing one of her palms tenderly and placing his hand on her now flattened stomach. He lowered himself until he was brushing her nose with his and whispered with great tenderness, "I love you."

Hermione stared at him with a gnawing feeling growing in her chest. The door to the library creaked open and Lucius Malfoy entered the room. Draco turned her around, keeping a firm hold of her with his arms wrapped protectively over her waist. He looked at his father with an expression of defiance and bitter resignation, Hermione didn't know what to make of it. Lucius wasn't looking any happier either.

"Your mother sent me to check on you, she wants to make sure you're alright, she left some salves in your room, make sure you apply them."

She felt Draco make a tight nod in acknowledgement before Lucius left the room, and gulped, trying to turn towards him; but not before he pulled her out of the library, towards their room in a deafening silence.

He sat her on the bed and looking at her anxious eyes, he slowly rolled up his sleeve.

Tears filled her eyes as she realised he had finally gotten the mark. Words lost their use as she sniffed her sobs back and hugged him tight. She kissed him with all the love she felt for him trying to overcome the sadness that filled the room. She made him lay in bed and Vanishing his clothes, started to carefully clean the wound and apply the salves resting next to the bed. She finished kissing the inside of his palm and wrist, the way he had previously kissed her, making sure she didn't hurt him as she reached his shoulder and then his chest. She lingered there and rested her head close to his heart. In the deep silence of the night, he whispered above her head.

"Is it still worth it? he gulped, "to have their father become a Death Eater?"

"Always," she softly replied tracing a finger in circles around his torso and then resting her palm there. "Just your love for them makes it all worth it, Draco."

"I hope you're right, Gryffindor," he whispered in the mane of curls on top of her head, "you better be."

Despite Draco's obvious displays of possessiveness, a Death Eater decided to try a more direct approach, during a party at Malfoy Manor no less.

They were nearing the end of the party when Draco was asked to escort one of the guests to their home. The old lady claimed to be sick and Lucius made sure she reached her residence safely. The trip by Floo was not meant to take long, and in fact it didn't, but it was enough for one of the guests to unexpectedly creep up the balcony Hermione occupied.

She looked out to the landscape under the shining moon, when she felt a soft touch running from the limits of her shoulder blades to her low back, where the low cut of her current dress rested. A soft smile shaped her lips as she turned around.

"Draco, not here, your parents-,"

The smile died on her lips, replaced with a cold glare directed to the man in front of her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Feisty, are you?" he answered with a soft chuckle.

"I think you've mistaken me, I'm not one of the common whores you're probably used to. Get out of my sight now."

"What could have Draco done to earn such loyalty from you?"

"Don't think yourself capable of understanding what he's helped me go through. He saved my life, if you must know. Now leave."

"Oh, but there's so much more to Draco than that; I don't think you're privy to all his dirty secrets."

"Don't pretend to know anything about me. Nothing you could sputter could change my mind."

"If that's so, you wouldn't mind me showing you some memories, right? You can't possibly believe you're the only one he's been fucking."

"Liar," she sneered.

"There's only one way to see, don't you think? There's so much more to Draco I would like to show you."

"I told you to get out."

"Scared?"

"Get out!"

"Do it and I'll leave you alone, isn't that what you want?"

Hermione emitted an exasperated sound and didn't bother to use her wand before she casted Legillimens.

She didn't know how much she would come to regret it later.


	21. Chapter 21

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Author Notes: **I am still **looking for a Beta!** Please don't forget to Review.

**Chapter 21: __****__****Closure** by WickedDiSaster

Images of Draco's latest missions and meetings invaded her mind, Draco casting a burning curse to a house with a muggle family dining inside; images of Draco torturing people; the cold look in his eyes as he dragged a young girl to his tent, her screams and pleas of "No!" echoing in her mind; a voice chuckling around, "He doesn't even bring their corpses out anymore, merely vanishes them..."

Hermione was painfully thrown out of the memories as the object of her Legillimens received a punch to the face that knocked him down only to have his attacker lift him by the collar next. The Death Eater snickered at Draco's display, whispering tauntingly, "It's too late, Malfoy, she already knows."

"Is it? Let's see how you explain it to the Dark Lord then!" Draco pointed his wand at his collar, making him disappear on the spot.

The unwinding fury that was Draco Malfoy dissipated the second the Death Eater disappeared; he remained rooted to the spot, unable to look at her. Then, as if just taking in their surroundings, he took her wrist and Apparated them both to their chambers. He meticulously checked every part of her to see if she was alright, still unable to meet her eyes.

Barely above a whisper, with eyes glistening with unshed tears, Hermione told him she was okay, letting herself fall into the seat next to her as she stared at her empty hands lying on her lap.

He retreated with awkward steps that made him hit the wall, his back sliding to the ground, and it was the sound of his body dropping to the floor that made her look up. The image of his defeated posture broke her, his empty stare at the floor, his recoiled knees holding his elbows; the sight was enough to crack her already mangled heart.

Her own words echoed in her mind, _"It's not the first time they'll try to tear us apart, it's up to us not to let them."_ She walked to him, kneeling in front to touch him. He gave her a small smirk, tarnished by the sombre look on his eyes.

"You didn't rape them, did you, Draco?"

He shook his head almost unnoticeably. "I sent them to the Order," he murmured, "Most of them didn't make it though."

"You tried," she whispered in his ear as she hugged him tight.

"It wasn't enough. Nothing will ever be enough."

"I'm sorry, Draco, I'm so sorry," she cried.

"Why didn't you just let me die, Granger?" she heard him whisper.

She kissed the skin of his neck, "Because _you _didn't let me die, Draco."

"Still think it's worth it?"

"Always," she whispered, kissing his temple and pulling him onto the bed. She spent all night trying to kiss all his pain away.

Draco stopped purging the memories of what he did after that, he wanted Dumbledore to see every bloody detail, he wanted him to see what he'd become, what they'd made of him. So he suspected Lucius had started to take care of that, making sure his shattered son sent only what was required to the Order.

It didn't surprise him that his father knew the truth of his infiltration to the Dark side. After witnessing how overprotective he could be of him, Draco knew he was grateful of Dumbledore's decision and helped him and Draco to the best of his abilities. He knew his son's safety depended on it. Lucius was of great support to Draco and the Order, he delivered valuable information to them and helped Draco cope with everything that meant to be a Death Eater and a spy to boot.

Even then, nor Hermione or Draco told his parents of the twins.

The Death Eaters commended Draco for managing to keep her trust, and convince the Dark Lord's Weapon that it was all a ruse made up by a delirious Death Eater; who by then had been tortured to death in front of the rest to set an example. The advances towards Hermione stopped with said demonstration, and although this brought immense relief to the witch, it marked the beginning of life as watching a dreadful train crash running in slow motion.

Until one day, Ciara McLead interrupted said train wreck by making an appearance at one of the parties they assisted.

Draco was beyond himself with worry. He already dealt with his guilt for what he did to her; he didn't want her to become a casualty from the war. His conscience was too heavy as it was. He was afraid that her infatuation with him would drag her into the wrong side of the war, and he didn't want her to become part of all the Death Eater wannabes. He hoped all of them rotted in jail, and he didn't want her to end like them.

What was worse was that he knew that Ciara had never really cared about any of the Puroblood bigotries, and such an attitude among this party was treacherous. He didn't want her confused with a Blood Traitor.

He managed to drag her aside into a secluded study away from the party and demanded to know what she was doing, she'd been more than happy to see him and told him that a friend invited her, adding that she didn't know he frequented these parties, which just by the tone of it made Draco think that she did.

He asked her if she knew what kind of people assisted to these meetings, and she reluctantly told him that she did but wasn't too much into it. He was glad, but didn't let her know that. Instead, he told her that she shouldn't be here in the first place if she didn't want to attract the wrong kind of attention to herself, letting her know that just coming here was dangerous for her.

She pointed out that he was here, and he exasperatedly told her that it wasn't dangerous for him; he had been all for the bigotry since they were in nappies, and she annoyingly told him that then she could fake it. He groaned inwardly but was unable to say more because in that moment they were interrupted.

Hermione hadn't had a reason to be jealous of Ciara for a long time, she wasn't just the mother of Draco's children, she was certain that he wouldn't cheat on her if Ciara casted the Imperius on him. What was more, she understood the concern in Draco the moment they saw her in the ballroom.

The problem was that in his hastiness to speak with her, Draco earned himself a few witnesses seeing them enter the room by themselves, and despite Hermione tried to make his retreat as inconspicuous as possible; rumours started running among the guests. Hermione, being a rather popular character among them, soon met a few witches too happy to fake concern as they advised her to find Draco right away.

When Hermione tried to ignore them, they blatantly told her the despicable rumours running rampant in the party, and volunteered to accompany her and offer their moral support in her time of need. Hermione was sure they just wanted to witness first-handed the scandal they were expecting to see, but thought it would be better to drag them along and show them Draco wasn't ravishing another witch in the study room of the house.

The witches made a show of inconspicuously directing her to the room, and were quite disappointed when what they saw as they entered the room was a rather frustrated Draco having an argument with the witch in front.

Hermione's smirk of 'I told you so,' died too soon with the uneasiness the magic of her curse brought her whenever she was around Harry. She had learned to control it a long time ago but she couldn't understand what brought the sudden change in her magic. She even enhanced her senses looking around the room, expecting to feel her friend hiding behind the curtains, but Harry wasn't there.

Only so many heartbeats echoing around the room, one closer to Draco, was beating furiously against her chest. She looked up at Ciara, and found such hatred in her eyes; she fought the urge to retreat a few steps. Instead, she tried to cover up her astonishment telling Draco she'd been looking for him, secretly pointing to the witches behind her with her eyes, and offering an apologetic smile.

Draco sighed and made a show of embracing her and inviting her and the other witches inside to introduce the love of his life to an old acquaintance of his. If possible the look of hatred in Ciara's eyes increased. Hermione felt a pang in her chest when she looked at her, she felt bad for the girl; it was only Hermione's luck that her love for Draco was requited. She couldn't even imagine how painful it would have been if it wasn't. Her heart went out to Ciara. She warmly hugged her when Draco introduced her, astonishing the girl, who tensed in her arms. She then dragged the witches out of the room telling Draco to take as long as he needed to catch up with his friend while she headed into the party to entertain with her new ones.

The uneasiness of her magic slowly tuned down as she retreated, and Hermione smiled at Ciara as she said goodbye.

Draco didn't miss the change in Ciara when Hermione showed up, he was more than grateful to his fiancé for acting the way she did, but he was very frustrated with the witch in front of him, whatever fancy she'd taken to him needed to be over.

He couldn't let her act so irresponsibly longer. Tired of their charade, he decided to take a direct approach, and asked her what it was that she saw in him worth caring for. The beaming look on her face she gave as answer made him emit one long howl of frustration.

The conversation took more than what he could afford to be in the room with her, and he ended up giving into inviting her to the manor as long as she didn't show at these parties anymore. She happily accepted and Draco gloomily returned to the party, where Hermione welcomed him with a comforting smile.

She was glad to have him back, however unsuccessful he felt at the moment. She'd thought him delusional for thinking he could make someone fall out of love with him in one night but refrained from telling him so at the moment.

She'd had enough with having to explain the witches how Draco was probably just arguing about politics or whatnot as he was so prone to do. The witches didn't doubt her reasoning, and Hermione wondered if perhaps in previous events Draco had been as passionate about these discussions with these people. She hadn't seen that side of him in such a long time...

The frequent visits from Ciara to the manor filled the next few weeks, where Hermione welcomed her in the same amenable manner. Their conversations left Draco frustrated all the time, but Hermione never stopped offering him her comfort.

One of these days she accidentally interrupted one of their meetings with a message from Narcissa, and overheard her absurd fiancé asking Ciara rather exasperatedly, how could she love a heartless, selfish, idiot, like him? The statement came out with such deliberate honesty; she found it hard not to laugh at him.

She walked close to him, gave him the message, and ruffled his hair like the cute stubborn child he portrayed. She proceeded to tell him to just give up and enjoy his friend's visits in a more decent manner.

Ciara had been stunned for a moment but then laughed at him along with her. Realising how aware Hermione was of the situation, Ciara frankly asked her, how had the Muggleborn Gryffindor Princess ended up with the heartless, selfish, idiot sitting next to her, making Hermione repeat her merrily laugh and heave a sigh at the memory of it all. She told her she would let Draco tell her about it leaving them alone.

Draco glared at her retreating form, and she laughed some more.

That night, Hermione enlightened him about how someone could fall in love with a heartless, selfish _and_ obnoxious idiot like him, and how impossible a task it was to fall out of love with him.

After a while Ciara's visits stopped.


	22. Chapter 22

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

**Chapter 22: __****__****The End** by WickedDiSaster

Draco nuzzled her neck in the darkness of their room. She'd been sleeping soundly when he woke her up, deepening the bed with the weight of his body on top of hers. His scent invaded her senses. She couldn't quite identify his mood so far. He crushed her against his chest in a loving desperate manner. "It's settled; they've set the date. They plan attacking Potter's quarters in two weeks. I just informed The Order."

"Draco!" Hermione gasped.

"I'm in charge of taking you there; he expects your instincts to take care of the rest. I'm sorry, Kitten."

She brought his face to hers looking at him confused, "Why are you sorry? Don't be silly, Draco, this is what we've been waiting for; we'll be all together soon."

He leaned over her frontal lobe, a tight expression on is features. "I love you."

"And I love you, Draco, never forget that."

He breathed a smirk, "Never."

"I'm ready, Draco, even Lucius said so when he saw me training in the dungeons."

The huff that escaped his lips was the ghost of a sardonic chuckle. I don't want you to be ready, Hermione; you shouldn't have to be ready for this."

"I was going to be a part of this war whether you wanted it or not, Draco. I was always part of it. Don't beat yourself up for nothing."

"I made it all about me though, didn't I? It's not Potter's fault anymore."

"It never was Harry, Draco, it's always been me; it's who I am, and now I'm ready for it. I'll be fine, love, I promise. I'll live."

"That you will; no matter what, Gryffindor, you'll live," he replied fiercely.

"And so will you, Draco."

The decaying smell of death, blood, and fire polluted the air. The smoke forming a thick curtain over their surroundings burned her eyes so she kept them close. She heard every step and every whispered curse; heard them cross the air before they hit their victims; and felt the subtle tremors of earth as the battle unfolded. She felt every creature moving on the field, her senses revealing their location with astounding accuracy. The scents and heartbeats of those she cared about stirred the stranded rocks and trunks that blocked curses out of their way. Draco didn't let her do him though; he was quick with his wand, and the fact the curses sent his way were meant to keep his cover from Voldemort instead of hurting him, kept her mind at ease. It wasn't lost on her how most of the curses he blocked were those stranded in her direction.

The moment Voldemort cleared the smoke to shock Potter with her presence, she took a leap towards her friend with a sneer on her lips and a growl deep in her throat. The force of her boost made her fly across the arena with astounding velocity. She became the embodiment of a loose creature for the seconds in which she fooled Death Eaters and Order members alike, fooled Harry and Voldemort himself for a moment. A moment Dumbeldore and part of the Order used to close in on him. The instant in which she had Harry crushed to the floor, she told him to cover up, and several balls of fire and curses encountered the Death Eaters on the field.

Once their cover was up, Draco and Lucius put up their shields against every surviving Death Eater that had started to viciously attack them. They blocked curses left and right, following Hermione's path as she destroyed the Death Eater's defences. The battle started developing in favour of the light since the order focussed all their attacks on Voldemort.

Hermione blinded the dark side, enveloping them on the thick smoke that her balls of fire created; their furious heartbeats clearly making out each of them in the battlefield. She could make out every move their enemies made and sent out curses, knives, and explosives around them. They all caught them by surprise.

She reflected the random curses they'd started to cast, interrupting all those that could reach their objective. She knew the battle would soon come to an end, and everything was going fine until she heard Draco hiss in pain and the scent of his blood reached her nostrils. What she saw when she turned around stopped her world. She forgot to breathe, she forgot to fight; the sight of him crushed her heart.

**Author Notes: **I am still **looking for a Beta!** Don't forget to Review. ^_^! BTW, this is not the end; that's just the title of the chapter.


	23. Chapter 23

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author's Notes:

This chapter was heavily edited.

**Chapter 23: **_**Aftermath **_**by WickedDiSaster**

What brought upon her such an agony wasn't hard to explain. Her betrayal had turned around the outcome of the war, and on his last seconds of life, Voldemort had delivered his ultimate revenge. A curse to Hermione that Draco didn't hesitate to intercept.

She didn't feel her body turning around, nor falling to her knees at the sight that met her. The silence that drowned her whole couldn't be broken by the soft and strained whisper that his lips formed, because she knew they were all lies; nothing was alright. Nothing would ever be all right.

She screamed, the shriek masked by a battlefield already in uproar didn't resonate like the cracking pain that it chanted. In those short few seconds of chaos, accompanied by the slow-motion feeling that comes with shock, all hell broke loose inside her.

Voldemort was dead, his Death Eaters scattered through the grounds like wild creatures. She felt each step taken at a mad run, each wild curse shot amiss, even the splattering of blood on the dirt. Yet it was the expression on Lucius' face as he knelt next to his son that cut right through her. It chilled her blood, and coagulated the terror that crushed her senses. All of it through Draco's faint smiles and whispering lies.

She gripped Lucius hands, breaking through his reverie of despair with a tight hold that sought for answers that her muddled mind refused to accept.

"St Mungo's," Lucius whispered, and again, she barely registered apparating them there if not for the healers that rushed to Draco the next second. She stared in horror.

"What was it? You recognised it, I know," she asked, her hold of Lucius still tight in her fingers.

Lucius' mask of impassiveness crumbled as the sound of his raw voice reached her ears. "Bring Dumbledore," he told her, as he extricated his hand from her clutches to use his Patronuses as silent messengers.

Every second Dumbledore took to arrive, felt like backstabbing betrayal to Hermione, and when he did finally arrive with Harry, she did not deign a glance in his direction, but crushed her friend in a tight embrace. "Nothing's working," she whispered terrified, "he won't stop bleeding," she half-sobbed. "He's got an open wound in his chest, Harry," she choked, "and they can't heal him. I can hear everything." She was drenching his shirt on her tears by now but didn't let go. "They're giving up. They don't think the Blood Replenishing Potions will be worth it if he can't heal."

He hugged her back as best as he could in spite of his own wounds. "It's going to be alright, 'Mione. We'll figure it out."

However Lucius had taken Dumbledore aside the instant she had ambushed her friend and done his fair share of heart-breaking confessions himself. "It's a Malfoy curse. It's been on the family for centuries, the replenishing potions won't be of help soon, the wound keeps increasing at a slow rate. It's about to reach vital organs."

Lucius whispered all of this to Dumbledore, but like she said; _she could hear everything,_ and each word deepened the pain to impossible lengths, making her, slowly, pull out of Harry's embrace and turned horrified eyes in their direction.

"An antidote was actually created after the curse took the life of its maker, but it requires the blood of the wizard that casted the curse and that of an heir, if not a dozen of them to share their life time with him. I," Lucius' voice broke, "I can't, I have all this time and I," he let the silence engulf him before taking this ghost of air into his lungs to finish. "He's the last of the family. Just get her out of here. I don't think Narcissa is going to make it in time."

Hermione lost control of her knees a second time. "Harry," she couldn't hide the agony of her turmoiled mind. "Harry," she choked again, the weight of her decisions suffocating her lungs. "I need Voldemort's blood, Harry." He had crouched down to hold her, and now looked at her with through bewildered, disconsolate eyes. "Ron," she continued in a frantic, yet resolute voice, "he has to get the twins here, Harry."

"'Mione," Harry tenderly started, "I don't think that's a good idea, the twins are still too," but she then clutched his wrist in a painful grasp to stop his tirade. She didn't have time to explain. She doubted she ever would. "Now!" she begged. "They have to come, Harry, NOW!" she ended with a shriek.

Neither of them had taken particular notice of the way Lucius reacted to their interaction.

"What did you just say?" his croaked voice asked the crying mess in the floor.

Hermione didn't acknowledge his question, and refusing to look at anything but the floor in which she had landed, she made one of her own. "How do we prepare the antidote?"

She could feel Harry's presence still lingering at her side and turned to growl at him. "Go now, Harry!" but Dumbledore had already approached him, and was lifting him up, whispering encouragements to heed her pleas.

And he did.

Dumbledore was the one to get Tom's blood. Harry and Ron brought the twins. All while Hermione stayed with Lucius to gather what they needed. They did this through this stagnant silence, full of the unspeakable implications of what saving Draco meant for her children.

In the end, Lucius and Snape took care of the potion making, because the latter assured them that slight modifications on the antidote could improve its effectiveness. Thus how 'Mione secluded herself with her babies in Draco's room.

This was how he opened his eyes to find Hermione holding the twins in a seat next to his bed. She had them in her lap, whispering shushing sounds, while she herself cried. Her appearance, as dishevelled as he'd seen in the battlefield if not worse, and all he wanted to do, was tell her off for letting his babies, his precious, precious babies near her blood-stained, dead-marred clothes.

It didn't take long to realise the blood was his own, the same that was now staining the white covers of the bed. It upset him even more. He tried to move but found each attempt rendered futile by the pain, the gush in his chest had enlarged along his ever-growing wound.

He didn't want his children to see that, no matter how small, no matter how young. They were his, why should they have to witness the demise of their father; when he couldn't do anything about the pain he was about to cause them.

He planned to give her a piece of his mind on this. His anger flaring up with each intake of breath, when out of the blue, in an unexpected motion, her hunted eyes looked up to find him. Not him, per say, not his eyes, she couldn't look him in the eyes, but him as a whole, his body.

She wore these pain-filled eyes, eyes that made her broken image look regal and flamboyant, eyes that made her expression reflect a perpetual distraught soul, and Draco's anger evaporated like Peruvian Instant Darkness, effectively silencing any reproach against the means she could or could not use to deal with her pain.

"It's going to be alright, Draco," she had whispered, and something about the way she said it didn't fit with Draco's perspective of the world.

Those were _his_ lines.

He decided, lying in a bed of St Mungo's, that now was the time, that she should at least try to prepare her, that she had to be strong enough to handle the truth now that he could at any extend help her through it. It stroke him as odd that her cunning mind or the Hospital's staff hadn't worked it out yet, so much so that if not for the sincerity of her soul, he would think this was a ruse attempting to comfort him.

He needed to let her know that he was okay with it, that he just wanted her to be happy.

"I know the curse, 'Mione," he started. "It doesn't feel that bad," he lied. She glared in his direction. "I swear," he kept trying, "I've taken worse, Kitten. But I do need you to leave this place in the next few hours and take Kath and Casey with you." He looked up for strength, perhaps focus; he needed to say it. "I know you'll take good care of them, baby," he tried his best to convey his love and firm belief in her through this sentence. "They don't need to see this, 'Mione. My father will handle things here."

She sniffed and pulled back her sobs, keeping her furious eyes on his general direction.

"No, Draco, I won't leave. And they'll stay with me as long as they're needed. I'll make sure they're alright after that," her voice almost cracked but she wiped a tear with ferocity to continue, "but you are not going to die, Draco. You are not going to leave us. They will understand it's for the best. They love you too, I know." She gulped, losing her conviction in the middle of her speech, and turning it in a mantra to reassure herself, going as far as to appease her conscience and Draco could hear it in the tone of her voice, in the change of her expression, in the shallow breaths she took, and he didn't like it one bit.

"What," he coughed blood, "are you saying?"

"Your father found a way, Draco."

"If that's true, why did you bring them?" His tone couldn't hide the reproach and disbelief of her words.

Hermione hugged her babies closer still. "We need them," she said, and it might have drained all the blood left in him if he could look any paler.

"What for, Granger," he evenly muttered between his teeth.

She started sobbing, "They'll understand, Draco, they love you," she started muttering again.

"What are you planning to do, Granger?" Draco tried to move in vain only to sputter more blood, his unconscious attempt, a reflection of his growing distrust.

She was saved by the door opening and letting in a stone-faced Lucius, a weary Dumbledore, and relentless Snape. The healers that followed them didn't dare a glance on his direction, following their example.

Draco started coughing profusely stopping all attempts to ask what they were doing, and they pretended not to understand the nature of his questions as they rushed to him, warning that painkillers would stop acting if he kept on moving and opened his wound.

"It's ready," Lucius stated, "You need to drink this now."

"What is it?" Draco managed.

"It's the antidote, Draco. It'll stop the wound, help you heal."

They didn't give Draco time to reply; Dumbledore started an incantation, a healer shoved the liquid onto his lips, and Snape uncovered his wound, pouring the cold material on top of it. It burned his skin and made his throat light on fire. He forgot how to breathe, think or speak, when the Potion Master signalled her to come.

Leaving the twins aside, Hermione moved in a fluid motion, hovering over him as she pressed the tip of a knife against her wrist, blood dripping on top of his wound.

Draco heaved, coughing on his own blood in an attempt to ask what the hell did she think she was doing, before she handed the knife to his father. The realisation shocked him to the core. Blood rituals like these served to do one thing, and one thing only, transfer your life into another being.

It was dark arts at its best, banned from use and public knowledge centuries ago, but Draco, being the Potion Master beloved Godson, and Malfoy extraordinaire, knew not only how to recognise its traits, but how it still motivated hijacks, human traffic, and contraband of the lewdest kind among the rich and desperate.

It wasn't often that a) lifetime was an option available to your affliction, and b) you had someone willing (or unwilling) to gift you at least three decades of it.

His muddled mind dwelled on this while his lungs fought to get back its breath and his father repeated actions prickled something on his mind, something he was missing, a detail that didn't quite fit with his fluid motions. _Blood from your predecessors can't be used, Draco_, the memory of Snape's voice echoed in his mind.

It was then that the gnawing feeling in his gut that something was inherently wrong, that there was more to the haunted eyes and self-reassuring mutterings that his brain refused to believe.

Because it was unspeakable, unthinkable, impossible; she was their mother, and she had to know this. Because above all things, Draco had always trusted in her, in her unwavering ability to take care of them; to ALWAYS take care of them, in spite of her life, in spite of himself! Because it couldn't be. It just couldn't be.

But then he saw Hermione lift Kath towards him, uncovering her wrist, and Draco roared in outrage.

His chest screaming in pain along him as he yelled at her to stop; she swallowed her sobs, trying to shush Kath's scared cries while her blood dripped on his chest. One, two, three; and it was only now that he felt his wound closing, burning like never before. One of the healers took hold of Kath, tending to her hand and cries.

Dumbledore repeated the chanting and they restarted their actions once again.

Draco thrashed around the bed screaming bloody murder to stop them while more healers restrained him.

Snape poured the contents of the vessel on top of him and Hermione made a second cut to her wrist, as did his father. Then she brought Casey up to his chest and did the same twice until the fourth time he felt his wound finally close.

He didn't know at what point they had silenced his screams or casted the immobilizing curses, didn't know how or when they lifted them, nor did he feel responsible for the wandless curse he directed to the last healer scurrying past the door as he ripped the covers from his chest and hollered at them to get out.

By then there was no trace of Dumbledore's deceiving composure, Snape's fake controlled demeanour, or the inherent traitor of his father. No one he could beat into a bloody pulp.

He took hold of Kath and Casey, placing them on top of his bed. He healed their wounds with his wand, cleaning the remains of blood in their robes. He turned to bar the door, realising just there that not everyone had left.

She was silently weeping in the floor next to the entry.

He growled his teeth at her to get out. She shook her head furiously, shedding yet more tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in a muffled sob.

"Get the fuck out!" he hollered.

"You have to understand," she sobbed.

"I don't have to understand a bloody shit, Granger! Get out of my sight." Draco's voice dripped with venom.

She broke down yet again. "I had to do it, Draco, it was the only way."

"GET THE BLOODY HELL OUT!"

"You'd have done the same, you- you tried to _do _the same," she told him in weeping hiccups.

"I didn't know them!" he hollered in a hoarse voice. "How could you?! You," he whispered with disgust.

"You- you were going to die," she sobbed.

"Then you should have let me die!"

She broke down in a heap of sobs in the floor. _That_ hadn't been an option.

"Get out!" he growled again.

She took several intakes of breath before managing to sputter a word between her sobs, "I, I can't, they're, they're, mine too."

Draco nuzzled his babies, who had started crying again, breathing in whatever self-control he could from them. He finished healing Casey's wound, purposely ignoring the heaving mess on the door because he couldn't avoid hollering his rage at her again. However, Kath, who sat between his legs, lifted her arms towards her mother, calling for her with almost the same desperation with which the other sobbed.

Draco tried to pull her back to face him, an attempt that only made his daughter shed yet more tears, so he lifted her on his arms, burrowing his face on her small shape, before he muttered through his teeth a clear, "You don't deserve them."

He picked Kath up and took her to her mother, who welcomed her like a lifeline, showering her with kisses that calmed her sobs.

"Don't stain her with your tears," Draco snapped at her, while Hermione searched her daughter's wrist for any trace of her wound. Kath happily engaged in recreation with her mother's curls, while Hermione recovered control over her shaking limbs to stand up and bring her back to the bed.

Sniffing to get back some semblance of control, she took a seat next to Draco – who still held Casey – and lifted a hand to check on her daughter. Draco sneered at her, but Casey lifter her hands to meet her mother's.

"Clean yourself up; I don't want a trace of soil in them," Draco cruelly remarked.

Hermione casted a silent Scurgifying spell on her clothes, another in her tear-stained face, and a third one on Kath's clothes, before she took hold of her daughter, examining every crevice of her carefully, the same way she had tended to Kath.

"You casted a Blood Replenishing spell," she whispered.

Draco didn't deign to look at her. His expression full of disdain. "What did you expect, Granger? That I left them to mend for themselves after what their mother subjected them to?"

She swallowed back her sob at his comment, placing her babies on top of the bed. She pulled her hair back to one side, lowering the strap of her top and her bra. Casting a spell to refill her milk, she placed Casey on her bosom.

She wasn't fooling anyone, not even herself, it was not done in their benefit. She needed this, tangible proof that she was still their mother; that for all the love she bore them, she was still good for something, that she could still do this.

Draco's impassive stare felt constricted, a flicker of regret crossed his eyes at the sight of her pitiful attempts to grasp what was left of her sanity. A flicker of emotion she didn't see because she couldn't raise her eyes to meet his.

Casey greedily accepted the invitation, and Hermione felt let go of the breath she was holding in relief, caressing a curl behind her small ear with a finger. Kath gasped in indignation, begging to be lifted as well, inching to move closer.

Draco stared at Hermione with contempt, standing up to move her, so she was the one resting on the headboard to place Kath next to Casey. Hermione silenced her jealous antics with a half-sobbing smile.

He ended up enlarging the bed to rest next to them. Propping himself on one arm as the adrenalin of his anger receded, to make his aching muscles be known. He used the other hand to trace small patterns along his children's heads as he watched them fall asleep. After a while, he watched her close her eyes too, keeping his intense gaze on them.

He had only himself to blame.

A Healer entered the room and Draco found himself standing up in a fluid motion to throw him out.

"I just need to run a few spells on you, Mr Malfoy, and then you'll be good to go," the healer mumbled, shrinking beneath Draco's glaring stare.

"If you don't leave right now, you'll be the one in need of the spells!" Draco snarled.

"Draco, let him do his job, you need it," Hermione groggily interrupted from the bed, capturing the attention of the intruder. Draco swiftly got in his line of vision, turning him around by the collar, and casting a few drapes between Hermione and themselves.

"Go on, then," Draco viciously growled, and the healer gulped, trying to steady his motions as he proceeded to cast the spells.

"I'll inform your family, Mr Malfoy that you're ready to leave now."

"Do whatever pleases you best; just get out of my sight."

As soon as Hermione heard the door close, she vanished the drapes and levitated her babies onto the bed, they were still fast asleep. She fixed back her clothes and turned to Draco's cold glare.

"We should get them ready," she ascertained, "Ron brought a few of their clothes with him; they're in your drawer." She waited for him to move before his impassive stance made her reach for the clothes herself.

"Ready for what?" Draco voiced, staring at her antics from the door with arms crossed.

"Your parents; your mother is probably having kittens in the hall."

"What makes you think I'll let my father within an inch of this room again?"

She gave a tired sigh, but continued taking out the clothes from the bag Ron had brought, pulling out possible matches for them.

Draco sneered derisively at her choices. "Kath will pull your hair out before she lets you dress her with that," he took the clothes from her hand, pulling out a blue dress and a white open sweater with a small blue hat for Kath, adding a pink hair blossom with matching baby gloves to the white flowered dress she had chosen.

Hermione ignored him, charming the clothes on Kath and Casey's form to avoid waking them. A feat that proved unsuccessful with Casey, who opened her eyes in wonderment. Hermione lifted her up and turned her around to put her gloves in each hand, the muggle way, her favourite way.

"Draco, if you don't let your father in, I will," she told him. "He was just trying to save you, and he did save you. You owe it to him."

"I don't owe the bastard anything."

"It's your choice; he'll see them one way or the other."

"Draco! You're okay! Thank Merlin!" Narcissa pulled him into a tight embrace that encircled both him and Kath. "And you're a father, dear, I can't believe it. Can I hold her?" she asked. "How could you hide such a precious thing from me, Dragon."

Hermione, still holding the door open, looked at the display with relief as she turned to Lucius. "She's Casey," she whispered, introducing the baby in her arms to her Grandfather. "Narcissa is holding Kath right now."

"Draco is still upset," she warned him.

"I wasn't expecting any different," Lucius replied.

"You may take a seat," Hermione told him, pointing to the chairs inside the room.

"You're the one holding my granddaughter; it's _you_ who should have a seat."

Hermione smiled, while Kath made her curiosity for the newcomer known by lifting her arms towards Lucius.

"Look, Lucius, she wants you to hold her," Narcissa cried out in excitement.

Draco glared at his father, who smirked affectionately at the small bundle that he now held in his arms.

"Don't let her get fond of your hair, she'll never let go." Hermione warned Lucius, but it was too late; Kath had already taken hold of his blond strands in a tight fist. Narcissa chuckled merrily, providing more entertainment for Kath in the form of yet more strands tickling her face. She gurgled.

"I can see where this one, gets her character," Lucius said winking at Hermione.

"You don't know the beginning of it," she whispered back, while Draco stood up from his bed and extended his hands towards Casey.

"Hand Casey to me, Granger, Kath always gets all the attention and my baby here," he whispered, carrying Casey away, "needs all the distractions she can get or she'll grow annoyed." Draco continued while he nuzzled Casey's tummy, making her tickle all over. Kath soon wanted the attention of her father again.

"Draco, dear, I don't think you should be up already, you just recovered from a curse," Narcissa told him.

"I'll be going home soon, Mother. I just need to change."

"Oh, well, I guess we could get you better care at the manor, sweetheart."

"Not the manor, Mother, we're going home, _our_ home."

It wasn't lost in them why he planned to go to _their_ home and not the manor, at least not for Hermione or Lucius, who handed Kath back to her.

"Oh," Narcissa couldn't hide her crestfallen voice. "I didn't know, Draco. Where is it?" she asked.

"I can't tell you right now, mum, it's warded with a Secret Keeper but I'll make sure you get the address as soon as I can."

"I see, I guess that makes sense."

Hermione felt a twinge of guilt as they said their goodbyes, especially from Narcissa, but promised herself to talk to Harry as soon as possible.

The walk out of St Mungo's room was filled halls full of wounded people and restraining Aurors. I wasn't lost in her that most of the injured people were Death Eaters.

She had little time to say her goodbyes to her friends as Draco checked out of the Hospital, barely finding Harry and Ron to give them a tight hug before she left.


	24. Chapter 24

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author's Notes:

Previous chapter was heavily edited, I highly recommend to go through it again.

**Chapter 24: **_**Forgiving **_**by WickedDiSaster**

It was one am in the morning and Draco hadn't batted an eye since they'd arrived to the Shack. He'd been watching over their cribs and even though the twins had been sleeping on their own for months now, he didn't stop walking from their room to Hermione's every now and then.

She started to think it was because he didn't want to sleep with her and grabbing a quilt and a pillow, she took off to the sofa at the entrance.

Draco followed her actions with a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong with you?" he asked, as she landed her sleepy ass in the sofa outside their room.

"Me?!" she exclaimed, "There's nothing wrong with _me!_ Just get your arse up in bed now that you don't have me soiling it!" she snapped at him, masking the hurt with self-indulgent anger.

Draco rolled his eyes, "You think I'm not sleeping because of you? It's time you come down from your horse, high Lady, not everything revolves around you," he spat.

She tossed a pillow in his direction, "What's wrong with you, Malfoy? You can't be mad at me forever!"

"I beg to differ," he told her, handing her back the pillow and plummeting next to her.

She huffed in annoyance, "I did it for you, Draco."

"I think that point is crystal clear," he sneered at her.

"Then what's wrong with you? Be mad at me all you want, but you need to rest, Draco, you haven't slept since this whole ordeal started and your two-hour-induced-comma doesn't count!"

He groaned and taking hold of her wrist, he dragged her back to their room, forcing her to lie on the bed before he plunged next to her, arms resting behind his head, eyes staring at the ceiling. They stayed in that position for almost twenty minutes before Hermione propped herself in one arm and glared at him.

"Maybe if you at least closed your eyes, Draco, I would think you were trying."

He blinked and then heeded her words, closing his eyes and making her heave in utter annoyance.

"What's wrong with you, Malfoy?"

"Crap, Granger, Would you stop it already?"

"No, I won't stop it; I won't bloody stop until I see your infuriating self, asleep. Now, that's clear. What's been nagging your insipid mind all this time?"

"I can't believe you have the nerve to-"

"Draco, get over it! You're fine, _THEY_ are fine and everyone's happy. Believe me it wasn't easy, but it had to be done!"

"Fine?!" He screamed at her "FINE?! NOTHING is FINE! Nothing will EVER be FINE! You get it? They came to this world under our care, Granger. YOU used to know that better than anyone else! You knew we were doing all of this FOR them! YOU made me promise to make sure they were safe, sound and happy! YOU! You, whose each intake of breath is not taken at their expense, Granger!"

"A promise you broke, Draco, don't forget you were the first one to put their lives second to mine." She glared at him, "Just because you failed, you're not redeemed from your sins."

"I didn't know them, Granger," he let his voice trail down in anguish. "How could you do that to your own children, your own flesh and blood, they trust you, Granger. _I_ trusted you!" He stabbed the words with a resonant stillness.

"I couldn't let you die," she whispered defeated. "You forget we did this so they could keep their father, too, and now they do. They'll understand. I'm sure of it." She muttered each word taking a deep breath, each breath giving her back her confidence and certainty that she had done the right thing. "You're a hypocrite, Draco. You don't fool anyone. You'd have done the same."

"That's just it, Granger. I have done much worse for them, for you. And now, I have finally rubbed on you," he whispered. "And _nothing_ about that makes it alright, nothing."

She understood then, it wasn't about her or what she had done, he was blaming himself. Her heart cried out for him. _Talk about thinking everything revolves around you,_ she thought painfully.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She couldn't think of anything to alleviate his anguish, so she embraced him. "But now they have you, and you'll be able to see them grow up and be there for them. It has to be worth it, Draco. It's worth everything." She told him, bringing a hand to his heart as she took comfort on the vibration the pumping produced.

"At what cost, Granger? You took their life to give me one, how long I live is taken from them. They were mine to protect, Granger, not to use or take advantage."

"Nobody understands them better than you do, Draco, not even me. What would happen to Kath if you weren't here? I don't think I'll ever be able to handle her. What would I have done without you, Draco? I'll never be able to live without you." Tears soaked his neck as she kissed him on the cheek. "They need you, almost as much as I do," she pushed herself up, finally catching his eyes. "Remember when I gave birth to them?"

He huffed in sardonic humour, "I won't ever forget, Granger."

"I forgave what you did to me then, because it not only saved my life, it gave me the chance to know them, to see them grow up. I know few people understand this, but even when you did it for yourself, Draco, you did it for them too; you gave them their mother back. It was the right thing to do, and now I've made sure they have their daddy, too. The fact that I learned this from you, Love, only reflects of how great a person you are." She rested her front on his, "You need to forgive yourself, for me, for them," she murmured.

"When I left you, when I yelled at you in the infirmary when I found out you were pregnant, and then came back just to try to get rid of them. How did you forgive me after that?" He couldn't imagine how his question could cause her to emit a chuckle, but it did; a soft chuckle in the base of his neck that reverberated all the way to his heart.

"I love you, Draco, all of you, how could I not forgive your most raw traits, those that shape you to the core of your being, those that holler of your over-protective soul. It's just your way to deal with pain, love, you were scared, you were about to live through nine months of my impending death and chances were it would be even less. I don't think I'd be strong enough to accept that. I'm sorry I made you go through it. My pregnancy was a completely different experience for me than it was for you, and I'm really sorry for that."

Draco scoffed, the trace of a smile hidden in his lips. "I'm glad, don't apologise, it was my fault you got pregnant, you didn't know you had started blocking the charms that way too. I was the negligent party, not you."

"You're right," she said lifting up from his chest to have a better look at him, "you gave me my babies," she said smiling brilliantly at him.

It made him laugh, "come here, you cheeky minx," he told her and turned her around the bed to have a better look of her, her hair was all over the place and she was beaming at him with a smile as big as her soul. "How could you think I didn't want to get into bed because of you, Kitten?" He traced a finger around her cheek to remove a curl. "I'd have to be crazy," he said, looking at her, almost transfixed, his finger going down her collarbone, her expression changing as she looked intently into his eyes. "I guess I am," he continued, "I'm crazy about you."

He lowered his head to kiss her, probing her lips with his, delving his tongue in the depths of her mouth. She responded with raw emotion, it felt like ages since he had touched her like this, and how could she forget that it wasn't long ago that she felt like he would never do so again.

She brought her hands around his neck, started playing with his hair. He traced his hands to her waist, gently feeling her shape through the material of her clothes; he followed down with his lips, kissing her neck and tasting her flesh. The power of their emotion enhanced the already dense room with their passion.

He met the skin of her chest, lowering the strap of her top, pulling it down to reveal her breast, and caressed it with a tender touch as he nibbled her neck. She emitted a low moan that reverberated in her throat, the skin beneath his lips.

It felt like he was drinking from her, like she was healing ambrosia and he was devouring her.

They made love, both listening to their heartbeats, feeling their trembling muscles beneath their skin, their soft intakes of breath, joining their bodies in a dance that entranced them both in each other, driving them steadily into ecstasy.

It wasn't comforting, it wasn't passionate and driven – it was a chant of love and devotion right through every touch.

At the end, they laid in a heap of tangled limbs, him on his back with Hermione cuddled against him; both silent but quite awake. The only words whispered before he charmed their perspiration away and mended the covers on top of them were.

"Thank you."

Hermione knew, because she knew him better than she knew herself that his thanks were not for what they had shared. He thanked her for understanding him the way she did, for helping him through his time of need, for helping him forgive the things he'd done, for helping him understand it wasn't all his fault. Her heart swelled with contentment for him.


	25. Chapter 25

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author's Notes:

Here's the end. Just the epilogue to go.

**Chapter 25: **_**Parenting **_**by WickedDiSaster**

The next day, Hermione woke up in the same position; she was cuddled up in his chest and he, who had apparently been awake for a while, was playing with some strands of her curly hair.

She gave a small yawn and limbered up, without really breaking their embrace. "Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty"

"Good Morning, Handsome," she replied with a soft kiss.

They remained quiet for a while until a thought crossed Hermione's mind.

"Draco, how come we never talked about that day?"

"What day?"

"The day they were born."

"It was the best day and the worst day of my life."

"What do you mean?"

"They cut you open," Draco said with a serious voice.

"I imagined they had," she smiled at him. "They call that a surgery," she rested a hand on his chest. "How long was I out?"

"They said it would be a couple of days after they finished, it wasn't even a night," he replied, "but I guess we can blame Kath for that."

"What time was it when she woke up?"

"It was around four or five in the morning."

"So, are you going to tell me what happened while I was gone?" she pressed lifting her head to have a better look at him, frowning at the sight of his furrowed eyebrows.

The flashes of memory of what the muggles had done to her ran through his mind draining whatever colour he had in him, making her realise what had happened. "They made you watch!" she gasped.

"They didn't seem to have time for anything else," he said, taking a hand to his furrowed front; "I wouldn't have complied if they tried to throw me out anyway."

She raised a hand to his cheek and caressed him, "I meant to ask for what happened after the surgery."

"They started collecting everything, connecting and disconnecting their-, things, while the muggle that took care of you explained everything to the rest. I remember vaguely that one of the muggles tried to make me leave, but another shooed him out of my way, she took me to the twins. They were in one of the corners of the room, they had them connected to their contraptions, almost the same way they had you. That was the first time I saw them." He smiled, "After a little bit, another muggle tried to take them to a-, ward. I was still in a daze of shock. I remember telling them that you'd want to see them when you woke up. They started babbling about procedures that I tuned out, when Mr Harrison came and told them off."

"After a while, Madam Pomfrey checked on them to make sure they were alright. I remember Snape was the only one talking to me," he had the trace of a smirk, "all your buddies were trying to ignore me. Anyways, I eventually told them to keep their devices away from my babies and the Hogwarts' nurse glared at me for a while before she placed the necessary charms in Kath and Casey and left us alone."

"They came back from time to time to check them up until you woke up. They checked on you too," Draco told her placing a finger in her nose.

"All your friends were there, they were taking care of the security, Obliviating the muggles, taking turns to visit you in small groups. Potter and Weasley stayed the longest though, until the Weasel's mother dragged them out."

"Draco!" Hermione admonished him, punching his arm for how he referred to her friends. Draco rolled his eyes at her.

"Then you woke up and you know the rest."

"I remember waking up to the sight of you holding Kath," Hermione said beaming, "I can't believe I never asked about their first hours of life. When did you start to love them?"

"I don't know, I never told you this, but when I saw them for the first time, it shocked me that they were blonde."

"But everyone in your family is blond."

"That's just it, I had never seen them as mine, not until then, they were your babies, they were your reason to live, not mine; up until that point they were the reminder of what I had done to you, every time I thought of them, I remembered that you would die and that it was my fault."

"Draco," she pursed her lips.

"Wait, let me finish," he said holding a hand up and continued. "But then you _didn't_ die, and even after how horrible it was what those muggles did to save you, or how horrible things _I_ yelled at you when they were born, the possibility of your recovery materialised then. I started to think of what you'd want, I started to see them for what they were – your reason to live and you _had_ lived."

"They were so small and they were my only company for a long time until you woke up, and I think I learned from you, the sight of you when you looked at them, the first time I held them in my hands, the first time you nurtured them, the way they made you smile. I'll never forget those."

"Come here," she ordered, and bent down to kiss his lips.

"Thanks," he whispered, "for coming back to me." He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Always," she softly replied, "always."

"We're visiting your parents today. Harry gave me their slips with the address yesterday."

"OK. At what time?" Draco yelled from the shower.

"As soon as you're ready, we're leaving." Hermione answered.

Draco groaned.

They're arrival to Malfoy Manor was welcomed with an ecstatic Narcissa, who started pampering the twins like royalty.

The interaction between father and son could be described as tense at best, until Draco decided to lift Casey up from the sea of gifts his mother had prepared for them and relieve her from her annoying sister, who was currently making a disaster with the wrapping paper and the toys.

Draco walked towards his father, handing Casey to him, "I believe you haven't been properly introduced to this one, I think you'll find interacting with her is a more pleasant experience; she behaves like a princess."

Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son's disguised offer of piece, before taking hold of his granddaughter. Draco heaved a sigh.

"This is the closest you'll get to an apology, you either, take it or leave it."

Lucius took his granddaughter from Draco. "Is this her doing?" Lucius asked looking at Hermione.

"You could say that."

"I really like her, you know."

"She grows on you," Draco smirked at his father.

"I do believe she does," Lucius smirked back.

"How's everything working with the Ministry?"

"They want me to declare against the Death Eaters captured in exchange of a full pardon."

"Dumbledore spoke in your behalf?"

"Obviously." Lucius tickled Casey's tummy.

"I guess it helped that you fought for the light in the last battle."

"It does, I have you to thank for that, but that's not all."

"What do you mean?"

"They're going to give you an order of Merlin, Draco. Dumbledore and Potter declared you were spying for the order."

"What?" Draco's tone dropped a notch.

"That helped more than anything, being the father of a hero."

The dumbfounded expression in Draco's face would be reason of mockery for years to come.


	26. Chapter 26

**Need by WickedDiSaster**

Author's Notes:

Here it is; terribly long cookie in the form of yet another A/N at the end. THANK YOU EVERYONE! It's been an awesome ride to share with you. All mistakes are mine.

**Chapter 26: **_**Epilogue **_**by WickedDiSaster**

"And that, Sam, is how Mum and Dad fell in love." A ten-year-old Casey said as she kissed her brother goodnight.

"You're not telling them that story again, are you?" Kath snuck up from the doorway, "Lorca is not even a year old; I doubt she understands a word that comes out of your mouth." Casey rolled her eyes.

"No, Kath, I was telling Sam the story while I rocked Lorca to sleep. Shut up before you wake them up." Casey admonished, lifting baby Lorca from her rocking chair to carry her to her crib.

"Too late!" said a mischievously grinning four-year-old Sam.

"Sam, if you don't go back to sleep this instant, I promise that'll be the last time you hear that story from me." Casey scolded him. It did the trick.

"Gosh, Casey, you're worse than Mum sometimes, you know." Kath told her twin as she walked to snuggle up her brother and give him a goodnight kiss.

Casey groaned but continued taking baby Lorca out of the room.

As soon as she was out the door, Kath whispered to her brother. "I can tell you the story if she ever stops. But she won't, she loves doing it, you know." She winked at him. "Now, go to sleep, young man. Tomorrow is a very important day."

Kath closed the door behind her and met her sister as she left Lorca's room in front of Sam's.

"What were you doing in there, Kath?" Casey asked self-righteously.

"Nothing," she lied expertly, "I came to talk to you. Mum and Dad just arrived. I heard them mention they had received our letters to Hogwarts"

"They did?!" asked a excited Casey.

"Yep, they won't show them to us 'til tomorrow though."

"Oh," answered Casey, sounding somewhat crestfallen.

"What house do you think we'll be sorted?"

"Mum says I'll be a Gryffindor," answered Casey proudly.

"I like dad's better," Kath continued conspicuously.

"You would, wouldn't you?" Casey replied in an accusatory tone. Their father interrupted them in that moment though, and Kath couldn't answer her properly. She'd save it for later, she thought.

"What are you two doing here?" Draco kissed both on each cheek.

"I was just putting Lorca to sleep, Dad." Casey answered immediately.

Kath rolled her eyes at her. "We were about to go to bed, Dad."

"You should, we don't want you looking dreadful on your birthday," smirked Draco, making Kath look horrified. "Now give me a kiss before you head to bed."

Kath hugged her dad in a frantic motion and kissed him with a rushed, "Goodnight, Dad," before she disappeared around the corner. Casey, on the other hand, lingered for a bit.

"Dad, why did the letters arrive earlier? Weren't they supposed to arrive _after_ our birthday?"

"What letters, Cass?"

"The letters from Hogwarts," she responded.

"They haven't arrived yet, sweetheart," Hermione's voice echoed from behind to inform her. "They'll probably be here tomorrow, what are you two doing here?"

"Just wanted to walk Casey to bed, Kitten, do you mind checking on Lorca and Sam?" Draco told her, giving his wife a peck on the cheek.

"Alright, I was just about to do that. Has Kath gone to bed, yet?"

"Yes, she has," they answered in unison.

"Good. Have a good night, baby." Hermione said, kissing her daughter before Draco pulled her away towards her room.

"What was Kath doing when she lied to you, Cass?"

"She was leaving Sam's room, Dad."

"Then it's probably nothing, Sweetie, she might have been trying to distract you."

"I know dad," she answered, slightly put out as they neared the door to her room.

"Tell you what," Draco said kneeling in front of her to face her, "I'll bring the letter's directly to you when they arrive, before Kath gets to see them, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," Casey beamed at him.

"That's my girl," he said giving her a tight hug. "Now go to bed."

She did.

"What took you so long, Draco." Hermione asked from the vanity when Draco entered the room.

"Casey," he answered. "Make sure you tell me when their letters arrive, ok? Before Kath or Casey see them, please."

"Okay, why?" she said as she took off her earrings.

"I want to deliver them myself."

"Alright."

"Was everything okay with Sam?" Draco asked taking off his cloak and hanging it in a chair.

"Yes, they were both sleeping soundly. Kath was making a fuss about her beauty sleep, though."

"You checked on Kath too?" Draco loosened his tie and removed his shoes, a mocking eyebrow raised in her direction.

"Of course I did."

"After we told you she'd gone to bed," he continued, meeting her eyes from the mirror.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, Draco, I didn't doubt you,_ or_ Casey for that matter, I just wanted to give my daughter a kiss goodnight."

"And you found her awake?" Draco added taking off his socks and tossing them in a bin.

"I might have accidentally waked her up."

He chuckled and walked closer to his wife. "So, have you learned anything about listening to your husband tonight?" he asked removing a few curls from her shoulder and kissing her there.

"What I've learned, Draco, is not to leave you alone with Ron EVER, it's sad to see that neither of you have reached the required maturity level to behave, and in a Ministry Party to boot. What were you thinking?" Hermione admonished him.

"I might not have been thinking," he continued kissing her.

"Exactly my point!" she turned to look at him. "What could he have possibly said that upset you so much?" He groaned in resignation before he started to explain.

"He was planning to introduce you to one of his _Auror partners,_" Draco slurred his words mocking Ron's voice. "Who had been _'dying to meet you'_ and like him, couldn't understand _'what you were still doing with me.'_" He took her hands for good measure before he continued. "Now, I might have undergone the part where he can't believe you're still with me. I wonder where all my luck comes from, myself," he told her, making her smile at the compliment before he turned serious again.

"But if that Weasel tries to ever get you on a date." He made sure she looked at him, "I _am_ going to kill him, Kitten. That wasn't a joke."

"Draco, how could you think I'd ever accept to go on a date in the first place?"

"You could be tricked into one," he shrugged.

"And you think I wouldn't enlighten the poor sod as soon as I encountered him?"

"I'm serious, Granger, you, better enlighten your pitiful friend _before_ you meet any poor sod,"

"Draco, Ron wouldn't do that, he knows me. He was just trying to get a rise from you, and he did, because you let him." She stabbed a finger on his chest.

"Well as long as things are clear, my dear, I care very little for what he got from me."

"Things have been crystal clear for years, Draco. Ron would not find anyone who didn't know we were married if he Obliviated them. Everyone in the Wizarding World knows we are." It was a fact in which she secretly thrived.

Draco refrained from pointing out there were still muggles out there for the sake of it and asked, "Can we drop the subject now, Mrs Malfoy. I want to go to bed sometime tonight."

"Okay," she softly smiled at his endearing dub for her and kissed his chin. "Can you help me with this?" she turned to get the clasp of her gown in the back.

"With pleasure," filling his tone with all sorts of innuendos, his leering eyes finding hers through the mirror as he softly removed her hair from the way caressing the soft skin of her back and neck before he unclasped the gown. He slowly zipped it down, tracing the soft skin beneath with his thumb, just before it reached the curve of her behind, and then introduced the tip of his fingers to open the gown, as he delicately touched her back upwards.

She sighed, "I thought you wanted to sleep."

"I said I wanted to go to bed," he cleared, taking off the clasp on the side of her hair, letting it all fall down with the rest. "But if you want," he nibbled her neck, "we can stay here," he was looking at her reflection in with lustful eyes, "I sort of like the view of your mirror, you know."

"I think I'd prefer the bed this time, these shoes are killing me." She winked at him, while she pushed her gown further down.

"_You_ are killing me," he told her, following the path of his gown, kneeling down to follow the trace with his hands. A barely there touch that shadowed his hungry gaze from her back to her luxurious derriere, through her long legs, caressing the back of her calves as he prodded them up to relieve her from the stilettos, outlining soft kisses to each of her legs as he did so. She was biting her lips as he turned her around to face him.

"You know, it's been a while since I've had this view." He parted her legs, trailing his nose from her knees to her thighs. She gulped and took a hold of the vanity behind, because she felt like her legs might give out any time.

He had reached the level of her crotch and whispered, "I want your bra off, Hermione," his voice sending shivers through her core. She complied swallowing the moan that begged to escape her lips, letting her strapless bra fall forgotten to the floor.

"Merlin, you're good, 'Mione," he whispered in a husky voice on the centre of her core, "You're so good." She did moan then. He groaned, tracing the rim of her laced thong, staring hungrily at the view. Pulling her thong to one side, he gave a long lick to her clit.

"Oh, God!" she moaned, loud and clear.

"I think I'll prefer the bed too." He told her as he swiftly carried her to it. Letting her fall on her back, he got rid of the thong and opened up her legs to get a better access to her. He started devouring her hungrily, making her emit the most delicious sounds.

He made her glow in ecstasy, while she pulled hard on his hair as she came. She'd never get tired of the sight of him with his face between her legs. There was no sexier version of him.

She pulled him up for a kiss, getting rid of his clothes in a frantic frenzy. It was times like these that made her forget she could do Wandless Magic. He helped her take off his shirt and pulled down both his pants and trousers in one go.

He crawled up the bed, taking her towards the headboard as he hungrily kissed her and she happily complied, entwining her hands between his blond strands and lifting her hips towards his. He growled, biting her lip. "Not so fast, Kitten." She mewled her disappointment. He lowered a hand towards her thighs, where he started teasing her entrance. "You're so deliciously wet," he panted, and brought a wet finger to her lips, tracing its edge as if it were lipstick. She moved her tongue to lick it but he launched forwards to kiss her greedily.

He lowered the same finger to play with a nipple, and she moaned between the kiss.

He lowered his hand to her favourite place, trailing a path of kisses while she grinded against him like glue, begging him for more. He made a twirling move of his thumb against her clit, with two of his fingers buried deep inside rubbing her g-spot and she came in an earth-moving, mind-numbing, shattering orgasm, enhanced only by the feeling of his teeth and fingers on her nipples.

If not for the Silencing Spell placed around the room, she believed she had been living up to the name of their home, The Shrieking Shack.

It was in the middle of her orgasm that he finally decided to enter her, having her milking channel clamp around his hard member, he groaned in pleasure and she mewled with it.

He started riding her back into yet another orgasm that made her scream his name and mark his shoulders with scratches of her nails, that unbeknown to her, kept him grounded until then. She would apologise later, while a smirking Draco thanked her for each mark, not letting her heal any of them.

He switched their position to have her on top, and used it not only to increase the speed of his thrusts, but to fondle her delectable breasts as she rode him to bliss – sweet, exhilarating bliss.

It never ceased to amaze him, how they could still have these trysts filled with lust without losing their ability to make love, to have it hard against a wall, or filled with soft caresses of comfort, from their make-up sex to their thrilling almost-public encounters. They always gave each other what they needed, and he never stopped being thankful for it.

**THE END**

A/N: Alternate ending. This is the possible course things could have taken in the story:

_But you know I can't live Draco, if we want this to work I have to die... I can't, I can't hold it much longer..._

_"YEs you can, and you will, you can't leave me, you can't!"_

_I can't kill Harry, I can't let that happen, I couldn't live with it._

_If you die I'll kill him, and don't think I won't, I've killed for you before, I'll kill him if he's the reason you leave me! You can't die!_

_There was that look again, she was looking at him as if he were an obnoxious child. She was sad, her trembling hands reaching for him, trying to reach further but unable to; she was too weak. "I love you too, Drac–" another tremor ran through her and the weight of keeping her eyelids open was becoming too much on her... _

_"No! You can't! I'll kill him, you can't leave me, you can't, please don't leave me" he went from bawling to hitting against the tree that supported them, to holding her even closer. "I can't live without you, I WON'T live without you and I don't, I don't know if I'll be able to reach you where you are going..."_

_It broke her heart in a million pieces to see him admit an inadequacy, and she felt herself torn between trying to let him know that he wasn't the evil bastard that he brought everyone to believe, and trying to stop the imminent assault against his life… "Draco." _

Cheesy, oh so terribly cheesy...


End file.
